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homestead - Re: [Homestead] Wendell Berry on limitless growth

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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: Don Bowen <don.bowen AT earthlink.net>, homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] Wendell Berry on limitless growth
  • Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 15:22:56 -0500


On Jul 8, 2008, at 8:07 AM, Don Bowen wrote:

"In keeping with our unrestrained consumptiveness, the commonly accepted basis of our economy is the supposed possibility of limitless growth, limitless wants, limitless wealth, limitless natural resources, limitless energy, and limitless debt. The idea of a limitless economy implies and requires a doctrine of general human limitlessness: all are entitled to pursue without limit whatever they conceive as desirable-a license that classifies the most exalted Christian capitalist with the lowliest pornographer."

http://www.carolynbaker.net/site/content/view/575/1/

I've been a fan of Berry for decades. I find it unsettling that he has chosen here to ignore that his readers may well think, "Wendell, that lowliest pornographer may be a Christian, also." And then consider that the esteemed author has diminished himself.

One of the rules of writing is that an author must always consider that readers are at least as smart as the writer, and often smarter, no matter the writer.

He could have used "moral" instead of "exalted Christian" and made his point just as well.

It is stuff like this that diminishes my respect for those who think their religion lifts them above the rest of us. No matter the writer.





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