Hating the World -- Jessica Schwier

In Wendell Berry's "A Secular Pilgrimage," he discusses how evidence of our hatred of the world surrounds us and incriminates us. Berry says we have ignored its nature and its needs. We misuse our land and our resources, pollute the air every day even worse, tear up land in order to build houses for the sake of progress. This is very relatable to today. Everywhere we look, there is construction taking place, with very little landscape left to enjoy. They defend their actions by saying it is more productive this way, but it is only hurting our atmosphere. Yards barely have any trees now and houses are so close together you can shake hands with your neighbor out the window. Berry also discussing us valuing victory over everything, as well as our hatred for other nations. All many people care about is having the best country in the world. Who cares if our country has problems to? As long as others have many more problems than us and still depend on us for help. The most important point Berry makes, I think, is his point about efficiency. We tear up fields in order to build roads, and we think we have gained much, lost nothing. Roads are efficient, weeds are not. We destroy beautiful things in nature in order to be more efficient. In actuality, we are not better off for what we have done. I'm glad Berry discusses this issue, because it has been bothering me for quite some time. All everyone ever cares about is production and efficiency. I enjoy having a back yard with trees and plants to look at. I do not want to look right at another house ten feet from my back yard. People are becoming less and less connected with the world when this happens. This is an issue we really can not control and will only continue getting worse.