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A review by elijah1370
The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture by Wendell Berry
4.0
This is a bit of an odd book. Though, I must admit, I found myself quite fond of it. It's a unique book that will appeal to environmentalists, libertarians, and Christians, though perhaps not all at once.
Berry starts his premise by lamenting the state of agriculture in America. Farms have been bought up by huge corporations and farmed with huge machines. The US government has essentially encouraged this process. The sanctity of the small, independent farmer, the hallmark of Jeffersonian liberalism and a backbone of American culture, has been completely destroyed.
Berry argues for why this is bad from a social, ecological, moral, and political standpoint. In many instances, Berry references his deeply-rooted Christian faith, connecting it to an idealized agrarian lifestyle. He engages with Jefferson liberalism's support for the small, free, and educated farmer. He speaks with great affinity for the Amish community who retained these three elements: Christian faith, autonomy from government, and connection to the Earth.
It's not a perfect book. Despite identifying with conservatism, Berry is often utopian in his vision for agrarian life. Agrarian life can be, and often is, brutish and miserable. Despite invoking Indigenous cultures, Berry ignores the fact that before America was "settled," it was a mix of hunter-gathering and some agriculture. There's significant evidence that sedentary agriculture is not the best way to relate with nature. However, I certainly agree that it is better than the horrific relationship we currently have with it.
Despite his disparate views, Berry never manages to be too heavy-handed in his arguments, whether political, religious, or environmental. This makes the reading experience pleasant and gives the reader a general sense that Berry holds a realistic and consistent worldview. I don't agree with everything Berry said, but I have to admit that I really enjoyed reading this. I genuinely wish we lived in a world more like the one Berry envisions here.
Berry starts his premise by lamenting the state of agriculture in America. Farms have been bought up by huge corporations and farmed with huge machines. The US government has essentially encouraged this process. The sanctity of the small, independent farmer, the hallmark of Jeffersonian liberalism and a backbone of American culture, has been completely destroyed.
Berry argues for why this is bad from a social, ecological, moral, and political standpoint. In many instances, Berry references his deeply-rooted Christian faith, connecting it to an idealized agrarian lifestyle. He engages with Jefferson liberalism's support for the small, free, and educated farmer. He speaks with great affinity for the Amish community who retained these three elements: Christian faith, autonomy from government, and connection to the Earth.
It's not a perfect book. Despite identifying with conservatism, Berry is often utopian in his vision for agrarian life. Agrarian life can be, and often is, brutish and miserable. Despite invoking Indigenous cultures, Berry ignores the fact that before America was "settled," it was a mix of hunter-gathering and some agriculture. There's significant evidence that sedentary agriculture is not the best way to relate with nature. However, I certainly agree that it is better than the horrific relationship we currently have with it.
Despite his disparate views, Berry never manages to be too heavy-handed in his arguments, whether political, religious, or environmental. This makes the reading experience pleasant and gives the reader a general sense that Berry holds a realistic and consistent worldview. I don't agree with everything Berry said, but I have to admit that I really enjoyed reading this. I genuinely wish we lived in a world more like the one Berry envisions here.