Many mystics also agree that intuitive dualism (the root of animism) was superseded by monism (e.g. advaita). However, it's not a dualism vs. monism proposition. Monism includes dualism the same way Einstein includes Newton.

As for antagonistic relationship of humans with nature -- that it is currently widespread does not make it humanly universal. Or better said, such position may be universally present (in humans, not so much other social animals), but assuming that it's the default MO is an error since an opposite position (e.g. "let's go back to caves!") is also universally present at all times (even the same person can oscillate between those two extremes, everyone is personally familiar with Hamlet's soliloquy).

Metaphysical stories are there to describe reality and serve as maps of sorts that could help one to know the reality as it is. Reality in turn does not care one bit how a human evaluates those stories. That is, unless you see the vistas any map describes, you cannot really evaluate the map. But yes, you can evaluate it in terms of how the map was crafted as an artifact in itself (aesthetic and academic), but that makes you more an antique dealer than a treasure hunter.