Book Summary
Wendell Berry is a renowned author, poet, and ecologist. In Life Is A Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition , he narrates about the dominant, irritable values of our times. These values, he reckons are bound by professional barriers with no “vision of an eternal order to which we all are subordinate and under obligation” (Berry, 2001). Consistently, Berry’s work is in favor of old ways as opposed to the new . Thus, he reject s the idea that the modern, enlightened values are the best. The narration takes issue with Consilience : The Unity of Knowledge a book authored by E dward O Wilson . According to Berry, Wilson is a depiction of the modern fallacies, grounded in the faith of human development and intellectualism and the idea that our hope for this life depends on placing everything under the control of science. In this regard, Berr y says that “ t o reduce the mystery and miracle of life to something that can be figured out is inevitably to enslave it, make property of it and put it up for sale” (Berry, 2001). The book thus focus ses on arguing against reductionism, imperialism, and materialism. He advocates for personal evaluation of humanity’s conduct, choices, and technology, focusing on the well-being and resilience of societies.
Berry argues that c ommunities are deeper, specific , and localized than the assumptions of the contemporary minds. Likewise, l ife is n ot mechanical, predictable, or understandable, and cannot be reduced to the bounds of human thinking and intelligence. He states that “it is impossible to prefigure the salvation of the world in the same language by which the world has been dismembered and defaced” (Berry, 2001). Therefore, p eople need an older, different concept of knowledge, the good , and the realm of life. The exposition he offers provokes thinking about real life issues. In this polemic, Berry aims to dismantle Wilson’s pretentiousness. As a result, h e offers condescending nuggets about life ’s unchanging ambiguities and splendor. According to him , science and intellectualism are under the sway of commercial welfares and cannot explain life mysteries (Berry, 2000).
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Evaluation and Application
The book opens up people’s thinking, turning their attention to what matters in life. Machine-driven expressions and circumstances prescribe our modern lives . With the increasing use of machine s in many processes, the subsequent division of the world “will be between people who wish to live as creatures and those who wish to live as machines” (Berry, 2001). The author underscores the fact that we have filled our lives with constant activities that seclude us from real life. Fo r instance , my peers and I live our l ive s in virtual communities which are mediated by technology . Also, we define our identities based on what we possess, our education level, or our lifestyle s . Seldom can we deny ourselves anything. I, therefore, agree with Berry that t he winds of professionalism and science have brought more harm than good. We are serving Mammon because that is where the goddess of science leads us. There is also a resounding truth in Berry ’s argu ment that , “ t he religion of professionalism is progress, and this means that, in spite of its vocal bias in favor of practicality and realism, professionalism forsakes both past and present in favor of the future, which is never present or practical or real” (Berry, 2001).
Through intellectual pursuits, my take is that people have surrendered the past and present to the future, which always never comes. While Berry acknowledges the advantage of professional knowledge, science is not exhaustive in explaining life mysteries. Perceiving life through material prescriptions will eventually bind us to the disparaging, money-driven chord of science, machinery, and commerce. Moreover, this will drive us further from the “sense of propriety” calling us to base our thinking and activities on the inevitable interdependency with other life forms in the universe. Therefore, Berry calls for an alternative narrative through which life can be viewed and understood.
References
Berry, W. (2001). Life Is a Miracle: An Essay Against Modern Superstition . Counterpoint.
Berry, W. (2000). Life is a Miracle. COMMUNIO-SPOKANE THEN WASHINGTON- , 27 (1), 83-97.
