As for class ideas, the library days mentioned in class would be beyond helpful since we are writing an annotated bibliography. We also talked about being kept accountable for our service project hours. I think, if each member of a group kept a log of how many hours they worked on the project every week or two, the hours could be verified and initialed by the other group members. This way, the whole group is kept accountable by each other and no individual member can just “get by” on the work of the other members.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Mini Blog #13 - Project and Class Ideas
This is what I got out of class: we are supposed to write a short blog on multimedia project ideas as well as class structure ideas. This is a bit vague but I will do my best. Speaking of vague, the learning service project is a bit vague and I am debating on whether it would be smarter to team up with other students interested in my field/major or other students I trust. I think it would be cool start a project in a school and do some good. But I also know it is quite hard to get into schools. You need background checks and paperwork and parental permission. Other prime locations that might offer project ideas include our campus itself, the multitude of parks around the Kankakee river, several small towns nearby, and the hospitals. I have also been thinking this: we have all (hopefully) visited farms. I imagine that many if not most of the farms we visited could hold opportunities for a project. I know that my group not only visited our farm but also explored the community that surrounded the farm. My point is that we have all gotten our foot in the door at these farms and it might be worth it to think of project ideas involving a farm, business, and community we have already explored.
As for class ideas, the library days mentioned in class would be beyond helpful since we are writing an annotated bibliography. We also talked about being kept accountable for our service project hours. I think, if each member of a group kept a log of how many hours they worked on the project every week or two, the hours could be verified and initialed by the other group members. This way, the whole group is kept accountable by each other and no individual member can just “get by” on the work of the other members.
As for class ideas, the library days mentioned in class would be beyond helpful since we are writing an annotated bibliography. We also talked about being kept accountable for our service project hours. I think, if each member of a group kept a log of how many hours they worked on the project every week or two, the hours could be verified and initialed by the other group members. This way, the whole group is kept accountable by each other and no individual member can just “get by” on the work of the other members.
Sunday, November 22, 2015
Weekly Reaction #12 - The Quiet Cancer of Pride
Pride is a strange thing. We sometimes think of it as a good thing, a necessary thing. It is the driving force behind hard work and accomplishments, right? Now, taking pride in your work is not necessarily a bad thing but I think we need another word for that kind of pride because all God can see in pride is destruction. Pride is condemned as an atrocity in the Bible over and over again whether through the example of an old testament story or the preachings and teachings of the new testament. This semester, we have pointed to pride as one of the culprits behind the problems of earthly stewardship. I think a good example of pride and its effects is captured Jane Smiley’s A Thousand Acres.
My group and I read and presented our take-aways from the novel. I loved this book! It was so honest and raw. There was no sugar-coating of reality. The characters were never completely lovable or redeemable. They all had flaws and dark secrets which made the book somewhat relatable (despite its general exaggeration and drama). No one is perfect and, in our broken world, there are not many cut and dried happy endings. So, with this is mind, A Thousand Acres is a good candidate to draw real world parallels from and, if you haven’t already guessed, I’m choosing to highlight the destruction of pride.
Pride tore the Cook family apart. It is also what created the family. A few chapters of the book discuss the origins of their family’s settlement in Zebulon County. The land that the Cooks farmed was not always so fertile and productive. In fact, it had been swamp land once. But their great grandparents worked for years to drain the water away. People laughed with skepticism when they heard that the Cooks’ predecessors wanted to farm in a swamp. So, the dedication, hard labor, and success despite the negativity of neighbors instilled a sense of pride in the Cooks. The land was theirs to use as they please. They built it themselves no thanks to anyone else.
This pride in one’s power and control is a factor to what created Larry Cook, a farmer, husband, and father who, at the same time, was a sexual predator and obsessive controller. Larry found his pride in his control over his land and daughters. He controlled his young daughters by abusing them physically and sexually and he controlled his land by using any and all new farming practices from tractors to harmful herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides.
But this is where pride is funny. Larry’s daughters, Ginny and Rose, could have exposed all of their father’s true nature but, because of pride, chose to keep up a façade of normalcy. Micah talked about this a bit during our presentation. Ginny and Rose chose to hide their family’s flaws and failures so as to prove to others the ordinariness of their family. For so many years, the two sisters kept secrets, took care of their father, worked on their father’s farm, went to church, and kept up with the neighbors. This is why the events of the book were so destructive. The family went from a seemingly functional unit of people to a deeply bitter, angry, and divided group of enemies. The somewhat small (although often times very important) family matter of inheritance exploded into a mess of adultery, betrayal, abuse, and incurable wounds. Their pride was a cancer quietly building underneath the surface of their family only to be recognized after irreversible damage.
The irony in all of this is that because Rose and Ginny tried so hard to produce the appearance of normality, there was never any justice for their father. Because they never spoke out or exposed the actuality of their father’s nature, no one ever knew of his sin.
I think this can be directly applied to this semester’s subject of creation care and sustainability. Pride has been an enormous factor in the problem and in the lack of certain solutions. We are too proud to own up to our failures. Because of this, we either are completely ignorant of the state of the Earth or we choose to ignore the problem. I can’t decide which is worse. For me personally, it is so very tempting to completely ignore everything we have been learning about this semester. It is hard to admit that we as a culture have been living in excess and contempt of creation.
“Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 16:5, ESV).
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18, ESV).
“One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor” (Proverbs 29:23, ESV).
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2, ESV).
Let us not let pride in ourselves, in our culture, or in our supposed superiority as humans blind us to wisdom. Humility is the road that will lead to reconciliation.
My group and I read and presented our take-aways from the novel. I loved this book! It was so honest and raw. There was no sugar-coating of reality. The characters were never completely lovable or redeemable. They all had flaws and dark secrets which made the book somewhat relatable (despite its general exaggeration and drama). No one is perfect and, in our broken world, there are not many cut and dried happy endings. So, with this is mind, A Thousand Acres is a good candidate to draw real world parallels from and, if you haven’t already guessed, I’m choosing to highlight the destruction of pride.
Pride tore the Cook family apart. It is also what created the family. A few chapters of the book discuss the origins of their family’s settlement in Zebulon County. The land that the Cooks farmed was not always so fertile and productive. In fact, it had been swamp land once. But their great grandparents worked for years to drain the water away. People laughed with skepticism when they heard that the Cooks’ predecessors wanted to farm in a swamp. So, the dedication, hard labor, and success despite the negativity of neighbors instilled a sense of pride in the Cooks. The land was theirs to use as they please. They built it themselves no thanks to anyone else.
This pride in one’s power and control is a factor to what created Larry Cook, a farmer, husband, and father who, at the same time, was a sexual predator and obsessive controller. Larry found his pride in his control over his land and daughters. He controlled his young daughters by abusing them physically and sexually and he controlled his land by using any and all new farming practices from tractors to harmful herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides.
But this is where pride is funny. Larry’s daughters, Ginny and Rose, could have exposed all of their father’s true nature but, because of pride, chose to keep up a façade of normalcy. Micah talked about this a bit during our presentation. Ginny and Rose chose to hide their family’s flaws and failures so as to prove to others the ordinariness of their family. For so many years, the two sisters kept secrets, took care of their father, worked on their father’s farm, went to church, and kept up with the neighbors. This is why the events of the book were so destructive. The family went from a seemingly functional unit of people to a deeply bitter, angry, and divided group of enemies. The somewhat small (although often times very important) family matter of inheritance exploded into a mess of adultery, betrayal, abuse, and incurable wounds. Their pride was a cancer quietly building underneath the surface of their family only to be recognized after irreversible damage.
The irony in all of this is that because Rose and Ginny tried so hard to produce the appearance of normality, there was never any justice for their father. Because they never spoke out or exposed the actuality of their father’s nature, no one ever knew of his sin.
I think this can be directly applied to this semester’s subject of creation care and sustainability. Pride has been an enormous factor in the problem and in the lack of certain solutions. We are too proud to own up to our failures. Because of this, we either are completely ignorant of the state of the Earth or we choose to ignore the problem. I can’t decide which is worse. For me personally, it is so very tempting to completely ignore everything we have been learning about this semester. It is hard to admit that we as a culture have been living in excess and contempt of creation.
“Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 16:5, ESV).
“Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall” (Proverbs 16:18, ESV).
“One's pride will bring him low, but he who is lowly in spirit will obtain honor” (Proverbs 29:23, ESV).
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2, ESV).
Let us not let pride in ourselves, in our culture, or in our supposed superiority as humans blind us to wisdom. Humility is the road that will lead to reconciliation.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Weekly Reaction #11 - It Makes Me Kind of Sick
Due to a previous commitment, I had to depart early from our honor’s agricultural adventure. I missed out on the trip to Fair Oaks farm and, yesterday, journeyed to Fair Oaks to make up for my absence. I found the experience eye-opening and educational. I had no idea that a dairy operation could be so large.
And neither did the farmer who accompanied us on our tour.
Standing in a small room overlooking the “cow carousal”, a man standing next to me asked if Micah and I were farmers, or apart of or associated with farming I assume. We told him we were students and he told us that he himself was a dairy farmer. We both gazed at the endless line of cattle.
I asked him, “What do you think about all of this?”
He laughed and replied, “There seems to be more cows on that machine than I own. It makes me kind of sick.”
The tour moved on. I wish there had been another opportunity to discuss his opinion of Fair Oaks. He had brought his wife and children, four to be exact, all under the age of six or seven. Seeing this farmer of a small dairy farm with his children at a huge operation like Fair Oaks made me wonder where his children will be in twenty years. Will they be working side-by-side or near their father on a farm. Will they be in a city starting their own families? These reminded me of the theme the Hannah Coulter group presented on Thursday: Education leads away from the home.
This concept makes sense. It’s the natural order of things in our culture. Parents raise their children until they graduate high school. Then, as the children depart for college, the military, or work, they slowly let go. The goal is to create independent young adults who are capable of finding their own place in society. How often do you hear people joke about how shameful it is to live with your parents as an adult? We are supposed to be self-sufficient, to pursue the American dream. It’s just a part of our culture and thought-process.
I am reminded of the week we read about Confucius and the Eastern mindset of family and honor. It’s almost the opposite of ours. They value age and wisdom while we value youth and newness. My notes from class on “filial piety” contain phrases like: “origins are important”, “reverence for ancestors and those still living”, and “how we treat ourselves and others reflects on parents.” This way of living is so foreign to me. And, granted, the values of Confucius’ time do not necessarily reflect the general values of Eastern nations now. Phrases like these remind me of the theme we heard from the chapel speakers from Flint, MI. They were embedded in their place, doing God’s work and serving their communities. I wonder what kind of impact this type of cultural mindset on family and origin would have on the issues discussed in class.
So when did education begin to lead away from the home? Well, from the novel our group has been reading and the Wendell Berry novels, it seems that the change from agrarian to urbanization is one factor. Another factor is that education is more accessible now and open to all. And then there’s this question, is it really that bad that our culture is built on immediate family independence? In my head, leaving your parents and home to start somewhere new is an accomplishment. The only conclusion I can come to about education and leaving one’s original place is that it is healthy and necessary as long as you strive to find new place to invest in and grow in.
And neither did the farmer who accompanied us on our tour.
Standing in a small room overlooking the “cow carousal”, a man standing next to me asked if Micah and I were farmers, or apart of or associated with farming I assume. We told him we were students and he told us that he himself was a dairy farmer. We both gazed at the endless line of cattle.
I asked him, “What do you think about all of this?”
He laughed and replied, “There seems to be more cows on that machine than I own. It makes me kind of sick.”
The tour moved on. I wish there had been another opportunity to discuss his opinion of Fair Oaks. He had brought his wife and children, four to be exact, all under the age of six or seven. Seeing this farmer of a small dairy farm with his children at a huge operation like Fair Oaks made me wonder where his children will be in twenty years. Will they be working side-by-side or near their father on a farm. Will they be in a city starting their own families? These reminded me of the theme the Hannah Coulter group presented on Thursday: Education leads away from the home.
This concept makes sense. It’s the natural order of things in our culture. Parents raise their children until they graduate high school. Then, as the children depart for college, the military, or work, they slowly let go. The goal is to create independent young adults who are capable of finding their own place in society. How often do you hear people joke about how shameful it is to live with your parents as an adult? We are supposed to be self-sufficient, to pursue the American dream. It’s just a part of our culture and thought-process.
I am reminded of the week we read about Confucius and the Eastern mindset of family and honor. It’s almost the opposite of ours. They value age and wisdom while we value youth and newness. My notes from class on “filial piety” contain phrases like: “origins are important”, “reverence for ancestors and those still living”, and “how we treat ourselves and others reflects on parents.” This way of living is so foreign to me. And, granted, the values of Confucius’ time do not necessarily reflect the general values of Eastern nations now. Phrases like these remind me of the theme we heard from the chapel speakers from Flint, MI. They were embedded in their place, doing God’s work and serving their communities. I wonder what kind of impact this type of cultural mindset on family and origin would have on the issues discussed in class.
So when did education begin to lead away from the home? Well, from the novel our group has been reading and the Wendell Berry novels, it seems that the change from agrarian to urbanization is one factor. Another factor is that education is more accessible now and open to all. And then there’s this question, is it really that bad that our culture is built on immediate family independence? In my head, leaving your parents and home to start somewhere new is an accomplishment. The only conclusion I can come to about education and leaving one’s original place is that it is healthy and necessary as long as you strive to find new place to invest in and grow in.
Sunday, November 8, 2015
Weekly Reaction #10 - A Mess
I don’t know about you guys, but I went into reading Wendell Berry’s Remembering a bit skeptical. Maybe it is because his name kept popping up in all of our readings and it became somewhat of a joke to curse Berry and his insight in EVERY book or text we have read. I regret it a bit now. Isn’t it strange that once we decide that we don’t like something or someone, almost nothing can change our opinion? This is so dangerous! We need to make sure we have open minds to other viewpoints and are able to change our opinions. And this isn’t just in reference to honors and the subject we are talking about. But I digress.
As we have read a few of Berry’s short novels and heard some of his poetry, I have really begun to enjoy his work. I love his style, tone, and creativity in his writing! Not only this, he is able to capture thoughts and mannerisms that everyone can relate to but not necessarily put into words, if that makes sense. All of this aside, one of my biggest reactions to many of the themes that flowed beneath the narrative in Remembering was this: What a mess!
The beginning of the novel begins with Andy Catlett at this “Future of the American Food System” conference. Andy feels a bit trapped and panicked. He describes his experience, “Having come in just at starting time from the clear warm morning outdoors, Andy felt suddenly submerged, as if he were sitting on the bottom of an aquarium. That his ears were still tightly stopped from his plane flight seemed to corroborate this impression with physical evidence. It was as though he had changed, not only elements, but worlds” (Berry, p. 5). The paragraph before explains how Andy sits down in an auditorium with no windows, air conditioning methodically moving the air, and a huge screen as the back drop behind a stage. This struck me as quite depressing. Since when have we become so disconnected from the natural world? Sometimes I look at buildings, houses, and heck, my own dorm room and wonder when did huge buildings, spacious homes, and rooms full to the brim with stuff became the norm. After all, for hundreds of years and in some parts of the world, the majority of humans haven’t lived in such large houses or had nearly as many material things as we have. And when I say “we,” I mean those of us in the United States or in the developed world.
Now, I understand the incredible importance of the shift from a mainly agrarian culture to an industrial or material culture. For example, without the trend towards “modern” life, we wouldn’t have developed such amazing medical practices. People live for so much longer now! That is such a blessing. But what is the quality of that life? And, to be clear again, much of what I’m referring to encompasses the developed/modern world or “my place” as we have defined it in class.
One chapter that opened my eyes and made me think was chapter five in which Andy is working for the journal, Scientific Farming. He visits a modern farmer by the name of Meikelberger. This farmer did everything right. He had an enormously profitable farm/business, a accomplished family, and a flawless house. He had everything that money could buy. But, Andy describes him as this, “The obstacle that now lay in his way was his realization, which Meikelberger himself had left him no room to avoid, that there was nothing, simply nothing at all, that Meikelberger allowed to stand in his way: not a neighbor or a tree or even his own body. Meikelberger’s ambition had made common cause with a technical power that proposed no limit to itself, that was, in fact, destroying Meikelberger, as it had already destroyed nearly all that was natural or human around him” (Berry, p. 62). Since when has success been considered equivalent with exhaustion, too much stuff, and broken bodies? Yet, this is what our culture values as success, and it breaks my heart.
I was talking to a resident this week about the difference between the American culture and the Mexican culture. She told me that in America, there is a focus on earning a lot of money through a career and then retiring later to enjoy life while, in Mexico, they focus more on enjoying life in the present by yes, working, but also knowing when to slow down and appreciate life now. There isn’t an expectation to make a lot of money or building a lofty career.
As this semester has progressed, a lot of what I have learned has further solidified what I consider a type of calling. My goal in getting an education has not necessarily been about money. It isn’t necessarily part of my nature to desire a high salary which is something I’m thankful for. But what we have been wrestling with this semester has provided concrete reasons as to why it is important as a human created in God’s image and for God’s glory to live simple lives of service centered on building his kingdom, not ours. There is only destruction, failing families, and a hurting culture in store for us when we seek to please ourselves with what the “world” has to offer. So when my reaction to all of this was “What a mess,” I was referring to the brokenness in which we find our world. But we should never think about this and feel discouraged or overwhelmed. Instead we need to become intent on living our lives as examples of God’s kingdom, which, if I can be so bold, includes caring for God’s creation, our place.
As we have read a few of Berry’s short novels and heard some of his poetry, I have really begun to enjoy his work. I love his style, tone, and creativity in his writing! Not only this, he is able to capture thoughts and mannerisms that everyone can relate to but not necessarily put into words, if that makes sense. All of this aside, one of my biggest reactions to many of the themes that flowed beneath the narrative in Remembering was this: What a mess!
The beginning of the novel begins with Andy Catlett at this “Future of the American Food System” conference. Andy feels a bit trapped and panicked. He describes his experience, “Having come in just at starting time from the clear warm morning outdoors, Andy felt suddenly submerged, as if he were sitting on the bottom of an aquarium. That his ears were still tightly stopped from his plane flight seemed to corroborate this impression with physical evidence. It was as though he had changed, not only elements, but worlds” (Berry, p. 5). The paragraph before explains how Andy sits down in an auditorium with no windows, air conditioning methodically moving the air, and a huge screen as the back drop behind a stage. This struck me as quite depressing. Since when have we become so disconnected from the natural world? Sometimes I look at buildings, houses, and heck, my own dorm room and wonder when did huge buildings, spacious homes, and rooms full to the brim with stuff became the norm. After all, for hundreds of years and in some parts of the world, the majority of humans haven’t lived in such large houses or had nearly as many material things as we have. And when I say “we,” I mean those of us in the United States or in the developed world.
Now, I understand the incredible importance of the shift from a mainly agrarian culture to an industrial or material culture. For example, without the trend towards “modern” life, we wouldn’t have developed such amazing medical practices. People live for so much longer now! That is such a blessing. But what is the quality of that life? And, to be clear again, much of what I’m referring to encompasses the developed/modern world or “my place” as we have defined it in class.
One chapter that opened my eyes and made me think was chapter five in which Andy is working for the journal, Scientific Farming. He visits a modern farmer by the name of Meikelberger. This farmer did everything right. He had an enormously profitable farm/business, a accomplished family, and a flawless house. He had everything that money could buy. But, Andy describes him as this, “The obstacle that now lay in his way was his realization, which Meikelberger himself had left him no room to avoid, that there was nothing, simply nothing at all, that Meikelberger allowed to stand in his way: not a neighbor or a tree or even his own body. Meikelberger’s ambition had made common cause with a technical power that proposed no limit to itself, that was, in fact, destroying Meikelberger, as it had already destroyed nearly all that was natural or human around him” (Berry, p. 62). Since when has success been considered equivalent with exhaustion, too much stuff, and broken bodies? Yet, this is what our culture values as success, and it breaks my heart.
I was talking to a resident this week about the difference between the American culture and the Mexican culture. She told me that in America, there is a focus on earning a lot of money through a career and then retiring later to enjoy life while, in Mexico, they focus more on enjoying life in the present by yes, working, but also knowing when to slow down and appreciate life now. There isn’t an expectation to make a lot of money or building a lofty career.
As this semester has progressed, a lot of what I have learned has further solidified what I consider a type of calling. My goal in getting an education has not necessarily been about money. It isn’t necessarily part of my nature to desire a high salary which is something I’m thankful for. But what we have been wrestling with this semester has provided concrete reasons as to why it is important as a human created in God’s image and for God’s glory to live simple lives of service centered on building his kingdom, not ours. There is only destruction, failing families, and a hurting culture in store for us when we seek to please ourselves with what the “world” has to offer. So when my reaction to all of this was “What a mess,” I was referring to the brokenness in which we find our world. But we should never think about this and feel discouraged or overwhelmed. Instead we need to become intent on living our lives as examples of God’s kingdom, which, if I can be so bold, includes caring for God’s creation, our place.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Weekly Reaction #9 - Humble Benevolence
To be honest, this week, I have been having trouble figuring out what I wanted to write about. The connections between chapter six of For the Beauty of the Earth and Thursday’s lecture are few and far between. I usually try to look at the week as a whole when I write my blogs and then, if possible, connect to the rest of the semester. Alas, this week has been more of a challenge since we weren’t in class on Tuesday! One of the only connections I could find came down to Aristotle’s means.
I was a bit amused and nostalgic when I was reading Bouma-Prediger’s chapter six. It reminded me a bit of last year’s whirlwind of philosophy and human-ness. What does it mean to be human? We heard those words so very often! I think this reading and, while I’m on the subject, this whole semester fits very nicely into that question. The whole premise of the recent subjects of sustainability and stewardship have to do with how we, as humans, are meant to take care of our place in creation. I particularly enjoyed how this week’s reading summed up a lot of what we have been wrestling with: how are we supposed to take care of our place in creation? Well, for a quick recap, here are the seven moral maxims that Bouma-Prediger wrote about:
1. Act so as to preserve diverse kinds of life
2. Act so as to live in your means
3. Act cautiously
4. Act in such a way that the ability of living creatures to maintain themselves and reproduce is preserved
5. Act in such a way that the creatures under your care are given their needful rest
6. Act so as to care for the earth’s creatures, especially those in need
7. Act so as to treat others, human or nonhuman, fairly (Bouma-Prediger, ch 6)
Now, the virtues and vices that go along with each of these is conveniently located at the end of the chapter, so there is no need for me list those off. I feel that so many of these moral maxims simply can be summed up with either humility or benevolence. The 3rd and 6th maxims specifically deal with these two. But living in our means, acting cautiously, and giving creation “needful rest” is a matter of putting aside our pride. We have gotten to a place culturally where we feel we are so important and knowledgable that we live however we want and do whatever we want with no thought about creation and, using the definition that Jesus used, our neighbors. And then there’s benevolence or, as Bouma-Prediger says, “the willingness to promote the well-being of another” (p 148). Making others, human and nonhuman, a priority pretty much covers the rest of those maxims. When I was first reading these, I felt a bit frustrated because, in my mind, these are all non-specific. I want something tangible to do! As I read, I began to realize that in actuality, these maxims are the mean between being and doing. My previous blogs probably talk too much about this being vs. doing theme of the semester. But, this makes sense! B. Prediger writes near the end of the chapter, “Therefore, while this subject is in one sense theoretical, it is in fact intensely practical for virtues, after all, should not only be studied but should also be put into practice” (p 153). Virtues are not actually virtues unless they are evident in your actions. In other words, who you are is made known by what you do.
Aristotle talked a lot about means and extremes. That is, almost every virtue has two extremes. We are supposed to find that middle ground between the two extremes.
Since I am foolishly determined to somehow connect Thursday’s excellent and eye-opening lecture to the reading, this is where I believe there might be such a connection. So much of what was talked about on Thursday had to do with how the economy and our country in general goes through cycles between extremes. For example, we talked about Kuznet’s curve. It compared income with pollution. In order for income to grow, pollution had to grow and vice versus. But, at some point, income is high enough that pollution no longer needs to “support” it. The curve started at one extreme, reaches the other extreme, and that heads back down to the original extreme. What I’m trying to say is that one of the biggest take-aways I got from Thursday was that most things come and go in cycles. What extreme are we at? I hope that we are at the peak of that Kuznet curve and will descend to a cleaner, more sustainable culture. One way for us, as humans, to collectively achieve this is to put on humility and benevolence by throwing off pride and selfishness.
I was a bit amused and nostalgic when I was reading Bouma-Prediger’s chapter six. It reminded me a bit of last year’s whirlwind of philosophy and human-ness. What does it mean to be human? We heard those words so very often! I think this reading and, while I’m on the subject, this whole semester fits very nicely into that question. The whole premise of the recent subjects of sustainability and stewardship have to do with how we, as humans, are meant to take care of our place in creation. I particularly enjoyed how this week’s reading summed up a lot of what we have been wrestling with: how are we supposed to take care of our place in creation? Well, for a quick recap, here are the seven moral maxims that Bouma-Prediger wrote about:
1. Act so as to preserve diverse kinds of life
2. Act so as to live in your means
3. Act cautiously
4. Act in such a way that the ability of living creatures to maintain themselves and reproduce is preserved
5. Act in such a way that the creatures under your care are given their needful rest
6. Act so as to care for the earth’s creatures, especially those in need
7. Act so as to treat others, human or nonhuman, fairly (Bouma-Prediger, ch 6)
Now, the virtues and vices that go along with each of these is conveniently located at the end of the chapter, so there is no need for me list those off. I feel that so many of these moral maxims simply can be summed up with either humility or benevolence. The 3rd and 6th maxims specifically deal with these two. But living in our means, acting cautiously, and giving creation “needful rest” is a matter of putting aside our pride. We have gotten to a place culturally where we feel we are so important and knowledgable that we live however we want and do whatever we want with no thought about creation and, using the definition that Jesus used, our neighbors. And then there’s benevolence or, as Bouma-Prediger says, “the willingness to promote the well-being of another” (p 148). Making others, human and nonhuman, a priority pretty much covers the rest of those maxims. When I was first reading these, I felt a bit frustrated because, in my mind, these are all non-specific. I want something tangible to do! As I read, I began to realize that in actuality, these maxims are the mean between being and doing. My previous blogs probably talk too much about this being vs. doing theme of the semester. But, this makes sense! B. Prediger writes near the end of the chapter, “Therefore, while this subject is in one sense theoretical, it is in fact intensely practical for virtues, after all, should not only be studied but should also be put into practice” (p 153). Virtues are not actually virtues unless they are evident in your actions. In other words, who you are is made known by what you do.
Aristotle talked a lot about means and extremes. That is, almost every virtue has two extremes. We are supposed to find that middle ground between the two extremes.
Since I am foolishly determined to somehow connect Thursday’s excellent and eye-opening lecture to the reading, this is where I believe there might be such a connection. So much of what was talked about on Thursday had to do with how the economy and our country in general goes through cycles between extremes. For example, we talked about Kuznet’s curve. It compared income with pollution. In order for income to grow, pollution had to grow and vice versus. But, at some point, income is high enough that pollution no longer needs to “support” it. The curve started at one extreme, reaches the other extreme, and that heads back down to the original extreme. What I’m trying to say is that one of the biggest take-aways I got from Thursday was that most things come and go in cycles. What extreme are we at? I hope that we are at the peak of that Kuznet curve and will descend to a cleaner, more sustainable culture. One way for us, as humans, to collectively achieve this is to put on humility and benevolence by throwing off pride and selfishness.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)