Actinia

In the shallow waters beyond the West African coast, a swarm of plankton followed the Pacific current into the mouth of a beadlet anemone. The anemone absorbed the small crustaceans and diatoms that composed the particulate zoo, unthinking. Hours later, it excreted its waste from the same orifice. It did so with the same lack of thought that furnished the waste, not due to a lower order of mind but to the same efficiency that compels the Actinia equina to grow only one hole to do its business. Such efficiency eliminates the need for deliberation where its place on the coral reef is concerned. Putting more thought into finding a sunny perch to anchor to, where the currents are strong, is unnecessary and pretentious. And no one has ever accused an anemone of pretension.

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