Keenan Lofton- Topic of Choice 1

In class we have watched a lot of movies and slideshows about peoples experiences on the Appalachian Trail. The one that got my attention the most was the one with the guy who carried the camera a long with him and interviewed himself. I’m drawing a blank on the name of the movie but it got me thinking when Dr. Redick mention about if he was actually connecting with wilderness if he is talking to the camera at the same time. When thinking about this at first, I thought, of course the guy was interacting with nature, I mean he is hiking. But then after some class discussion I realized that this was taking away the guys experience of nature. For him to be totally in touch with nature he would have to have no distractions, especially that of a manmade object. Then I got to wondering if having a camera on the trail and interviewing hikers disturbed their experience. I came to the conclusion that as long as the person doesn’t interrupt the hikers hike, then it shouldn’t hinder their experience.

Eric Stoll - A Continuous Harmony # 2

In the chapter of A Continuous Harmony titled "A homage to Dr. Williams", Wendell Berry makes a statement that sticks out to me. In this statement, Berry is referring to the poet William Carlos Williams, who he claims that he "knew, more than white Americans have ever known, that a man has not meaningfully arrived in his place in body until he has arrived in spirit as well." I found this statement to be significant to me as it is something I can easily relate to. I feel as if I have always had a tumultuous relationship with Virginia, the place I have grown up in and continue to live in. For years I have always promised myself that I would leave the state at the first opportunity, eventually settling in a place that better suits me, whether it by somewhere like New York or over on the west coast. Berry's opinion towards William Carlos Williams forces me to contemplate my own viewpoints on the place I live. I have seemingly determined that the grass is greener on the other side and that I would be much happier somewhere else, yet I feel that if I am not happy with who, not where I am, I wont be able to find true happiness anywhere. In the end, I want to achieve what Berry states that Williams' poetry did to him, which was to "satisfy me of the possibility of life wherever I have lived."

Eric Stoll - A Continuous Harmony #1

A passage from Wendell Berry's A Continuous Harmony that sparked my interest can be found on page 5 in the chapter titled "A Secular Pilgrimage." In this chapter, Berry discuses as to what he perceives to be the greatest failure in human religion. Berry believes that religion, most notably Christianity, promotes a negative relationship between man and nature. Berry states that in response to the question on how man should live in the world, Christianity has "usually tended to give a non-answer" by asserting that "he should live for the next world." I agree with
Berry's assessment on Christianity here. I was born into a Christian family, and while we were not regular church goers, I was always surrounded by elements of Christian ideology, especially as a part of my experience while attending Catholic school for 13 years. My exposure to these ideologies, I feel, is responsible for my gradual dissatisfaction with the Christian faith that has grown over the years. While I still consider part of myself to be "spiritual" in common sense of the word, I believe in a higher power and a greater purpose behind life, my belief in the ideologies behind Christianity have dwindled. Berry's viewpoint on Christianity's relationship with nature for the most part parallels my issues with Christian ideology. I feel that too much emphasis is placed upon the afterlife rather than the quality of life we have now.

Eric Stoll - Lion's Gate Bridge

I realized that the majority of my fellow students have decided to use their experience at the Lion's gate bridge as a topic for this blog. In the spirit of conformity, I have decided to follow suit and address my opinion on this location. The thing that caught my attention at the Lion's Gate was not the natural landscape that surrounded me. Instead it was the people that I encountered while walking along the Noland Trail that led me contemplate about man's relationship with nature. The majority of individuals who I ran into on the trail appeared not to be there in order to experience nature or expand their relationship with wilderness. The people I encountered typically were runners, complete with their ipod headphones in their ears and a completely oblivious look on their faces. I didn't want to be too judgmental, but I couldn't help wonder if these people viewed the park as a true piece of nature, or as just another place for their own benefit. I suppose the value of a location is in the eye of the beholder, but I felt as if the lion's bridge was not true piece of nature, but instead a man made facility given a facade to make it appear as if it were a natural setting.

Keenan Lofton- Continuous Harmony 2

In reading a Continuous Harmony by Wendell Berry, I had a good experience with the paragraph on page 36. It was about walking in the dark, and when doing so all your senses become so much better. This brought up some memories of the times when I was younger and walking in the dark by myself and experiencing the increased level of my senses. It seemed like I was able to hear every noise in my neighborhood, whether it be a stick falling or an animal rustling in the bushes. Whatever it was, I was able to sense so many things. I guess that being in the dark and being scared (since I was young), allowed me to understand all that was going on around me.

Keenan Lofton- Continuous Harmony 1

In a class discussion a week or so ago we talked about myth and the authentic. This location of this discussion was on page 27 in A Continuous Harmony by Wendell Berry. “To imagine is to realize, to sense the authentic.” This was a quote that we concentrated on in class when we talked about what was authentic. In this discussion what really surprised me was Redick’s story about the Greek salads. It was interesting that no “authentic” Greek salad contains lettuce. During this lecture I was thinking to myself that one of my favorite foods to eat is Chinese food. I really have no idea what authentic Chinese food tastes like. It makes me want to go to china or another Asian country one day and experience their culture and eat what the food really tastes like instead of what us Americans want it to taste like.

Eric Stoll - The Tetons

This past spring break I traveled to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. This trip deviated from the typical college spring break experience, which usually consists of students escaping from the pressures of college life on a sunny beach and partaking in a wide variety of activities, whether they are legal or not. Therefore I was not very surprised at the responses I received when I told people where I had gone on my spring break. The responses most commonly given was: "what is there to do in Wyoming?" I answered this question with one word: nothing. The "nothingness" that comprises Wyoming is what makes it unique and so attractive. I feel that people often travel to places to experience the attractions located there, not the place itself. The Tetons have these attractions in the form of ski resorts and high end shopping in the nearby town of Jackson, but it was these places that I prefered to stay away from. Instead, I opted to simply enjoy the mountains, the clean air and the wide open spaces around me. My vacation to the Tetons was not a typical one, as it did not focus upon the attractions of the location, but instead centered around finding inspiration from the natural landscape.