Wendell Berry’s life on Earth
Throughout his career, the writer and farmer found joy in a world without end.
Wendell Berry, the 92-year-old Kentucky farmer, teacher, philosopher, and environmental activist, passed away last week. Throughout his life, Berry lived many roles and inspired countless individuals in the fields of writing, farming, and advocacy. For over five decades, he crafted more than fifty books of poetry, fiction, and essays, primarily using a pencil and paper from his farmhouse in Henry County, Kentucky. Despite having no computer or smartphone, Berry made his choices and adhered to them steadfastly.
Berry grappled with humanity and the natural world through various lenses. In his essay "Think Little" (1972), he posited that no public crisis goes unaccompanied by a private one. Despite his strong environmental convictions, Berry sometimes lamented the movement's focus on persuading politicians rather than individuals healing the rift between modern life and the land. He wrote, "The changes that are required are fundamental changes in the way we are living."
His refusal to embrace technology, often critiqued, stemmed from his desire to maintain a connection with his work. Berry was arrested multiple times for protesting issues such as nuclear power plants and mountaintop removal coal mining, yet remained committed to activism. His views transcended modern politics, emphasizing the importance of marriage, family, and kindness, while rejecting the notion of legislating such matters.
Berry's approach to life was rooted in the belief that humanity and the natural world were intertwined in a universal kinship of kindness.
In his poem "Manifesto: Mad Farmer Liberation Front," Berry advocated planting sequoias, symbolizing a commitment to a millennium of nurturing nature. He believed that living in harmony with cycles of death and rebirth, rather than a linear progression towards destruction or salvation, was crucial. It was this philosophy that prompted Berry to write "Why I am not Going to Buy a Computer" in 1987, becoming a Luddite in the truest sense.
Berry's life serves as a testament to the power of individual actions in the face of grand environmental challenges, reminding us that healing the Earth begins with small, thoughtful steps.
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