Curtis's stuff is all good fun but I'm skeptical that:

>The concept of "natural equilibrium" is a 1950s cybernetic machine fantasy

Looking at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_of_nature :

>The concept that nature maintains its condition is of ancient provenance. Herodotus asserted that predators never excessively consume prey populations and described this balance as "wonderful". Two of Plato's dialogues, the Timaeus and Protagoras myths, support the balance of nature concept...