As the pendulums swings... (Response #4)

Entering, my head swivels and turns while my mouth begins to gape. The atrium is vast while my comprehending mind is minute. The room is tall while my boyish body is tiny. I gaze, for a moment, at the ceiling that is an eternity away from me. Following the taunt line, my eyes slowly descend along the pendulum to the bob at the end. Steady, sedated, rhythmic it goes, and goes, and goes, and goes. How does it knock down all the domino-like pieces in a circle every day? Why did it continually go back and forth seamlessly, eternally (in the mind of a boy)? I must have been younger than ten when I experienced this phenomenon, and the stark memory of it has yet to vacate my mind. This picture materialized in my thoughts while I read our assignment. A pendulum… going back and forth, to and fro, left and right, it never stops or slows.

            “How or why did this cross your mind?” you may ask. I asked myself the same question. I think I got an interesting response. You see, a pendulum is always “correcting” itself. For a brief moment it is in an utter extreme until the forces of nature wrench it down again. However (Let us assume that extremes are bad. This is really going to help the analogy along), this only results in the opposite extreme. This persistent, continual back and forth is what captured my mind, particularly for these readings. I feel like we have struck the domino of destruction, deforestation, demolition, defecation, and domination. Yet I have this uncomfortable feeling that we might have let our righteous momentum of creation care continue on its path a touch to far. The reading mentions the earth “as a fellow creature” (p. 29). I recoil from this assumption to be fully honest. Is the rock and dirt living? Can it “justly expect something from us?” (p. 29) Please, do not misunderstand me. I value the earth and all that is in it. But I see a sect that is granting life and a sacred status to all, literally all, things. This catches me off guard. My mind initially wants to label this thought as pantheistic. However, I am trying to be, maybe, a bit more understanding and at least give ideas a chance to be tested and tried. Who knows, maybe this awkward feeling within me is the scalding heat of truth that thirsts to open my eyes or… maybe it is not. Maybe it is an already discerning prudence that has been cultivated within me. I do not know, but I hope to find out. Anyways, I digress, back to the earth and pendulums. One of the reasons I assumed pendulum motion is because it seems to be so inline with human nature and history. We humans seem to incessantly overcorrecting our mistakes. In the realm of religion, my mind jumps to the puritans. Trying to set apart their lives from what they believed folly, the puritans brought about an entire civilization that was legalistic. In America today we are still deciphering through the consequences of that. On the backstroke of the puritanical pendulum swing (especially the 1950’s) would be the hippie generation. Albeit some positives did commence from that, I would hope that we could agree that the hippie movement was not entirely wholesome. So back and forth we go.

In the pendulum of creation care I personally see two extremes. One is the molestation of the earth while the other is the divination of anything nonhuman. I believe, at least in our honors class, that we can all agree that plundering the earth for every ounce of self-pleasure is not a righteous thing to do. However, more controversial is the degree of value that is innate in the material world. At what point do we sacrifice human comfort for the sake of preserving the earth? Even more so, if it comes down to it, when do the needs of humanity trump the current state of the biosphere (or does it even?)? For me, human life will always be the most precious valuable on earth. We are made in the image of the Creator, and I believe that that truth is unique to the mystery that is man. Even though dominion is bestowed upon man, responsibility ensues. The sheep are the shepherd’s, but the shepherd sacrifices all that he is for his flock.

Response #3

For this blog post I would like to pose some questions. Hopefully, these are insightful or at least help provide a different lens with which to view our conversations in as we progress even further into this semester in honors. I will also try to provide a brief idea that I had in regards to the question asked.

            For my first question, I really want to look at our conversation itself, the manner in which we try to convey our thoughts to one another. Are we even open to understand another’s point of view? Do we come into these conversations to champion our idea against, or do we come as partners in truth hoping to learn from each other’s unique and particular views?

            I believe we often times, in honors, come in with a mindset to herald our belief on a particular subject. We want to share, or maybe impose, or view on the rest of the group. Christening our own particular interest as the one most worthy of attention and focus at the moment. When quarrels arise, rarely do we hasten to fully understand the opposing view. Instead we abruptly begin to pontificate about the vast depth of insight we have towards this particular subject. Might we spend a bit more time in trying to understand each other? I mean, we all are journeying to the same end, are we not? Truth? If so, as Peter Kreeft said in one of his books I read this summer, “People who disagree with me… are my special friends and allies,” and they help us to be “surer of the truth.” Instead of rallying support for our preexisting notion, may we foster diverse ideas (all diversity: new ideas and old, left and right, non-traditional AND traditional)?

            What are the conditions of the cocoa industry in Latin America? We talked almost exclusively about the cocoa production line with an origin in the Ivory Coast and Ghana. While a majority of the beans in the world do come from western Africa, there is still a substantial portion of cocoa that does not come from African but mainly Latin America. What does it look like there, and if it is better, could this be a stepping stone toward an overhaul of all cocoa plantations around the world?

            I honestly do not know what the working conditions are in the majority of Latin American cocoa plantations. Is trafficking and child labor as big as a problem there? Is it even a problem there? Maybe someone would be able to enlighten me in the comments. That would be much appreciated. However, let us assume for now that a fair to large portion of Latin American cocoa plantations are operating on an ethical level. What could we, or should we, do from that point? It seems logical that we could expect major companies to just start to buy exclusively from them. But would not the immense stress of demand potentially initiate a reaction that would mimic the exact thing that is happening in western Africa? Maybe we could send the corporate side and/or the plantation owners down to the Latin American areas to see how they are successfully and profitably run. What if they don’t care though? That brings us to another troubling question.

            How is value instilled and why should their values be ours? This seems altogether absurd and outlandish, but maybe that is just the way we think. What I am trying to say is that in order for the conditions to change, a lot of people’s priorities and values will have to change with it. How do you convince a man that he should even care about that fact that he is engaging in slavery and in child slavery nonetheless? How do you straighten a crooked government enough for them to push for the freedom of its youngest citizens? How can you even talk to a corporation to convince them to care about something that is “technically” not happening and have that corporation lose a substantial amount of profit? How do you help a family that is willing to send their young child off into (possibly unknown) slavery?

            For me, the scariest thought is “What if this is just a way of life?” We westerners think that our form of civilization is wonderful and for the whole world. Democracy is the only golden form of government. Well, there were a lot of content and satisfied people before democracy was ever invented, and there will be a lot of content people after it passes. What if we are just trying to impose a preference, like an argument between meal choices? How do we know this is no longer a matter of rice and bread and is about right and wrong?

(For the record, I do believe it is about right and wrong. Just wanted to put that out there before someone labels me as a heartless monster. I am just trying to cultivate discussion into the origins and reasoning of our actions)

Response #2

            All throughout Andy Catlett Wendell Berry is cultivating Andy’s memories as well as memories from those who loved Andy. A continual construction of this memorial foundation is present within the book. Even the book’s structure lends itself to memories. The chapters are broken up into little snippets of the past. These valued glimpses into history are what the entirety of the book revolves around. However, Andy’s memories are not directly what caught my interest along with my group’s interest on Thursday during our discussion. What really began to engage our thoughts was the focus on the adults of Andy’s memories, more precisely, the adults’ memories.

 “They spoke familiarly of lifetimes not their own.” (p. 111) Memories of memories, this was a captivating idea to Jayme, Rebekah, and myself. While reflecting on this quote, we were prompted with this question by our professors, “Is this (referring to the quote) a lost skill/art?” For me, the first thought that came to mind was of the ancient Hebrews. History, legend, lore, faith, and religion were meticulously handed down by word of mouth, from memory. Story by story, the Hebrews (and really most early civilizations) solely grew and developed all of their culture by “lifetimes not their own.” (p. 111) Memories were the source of conversation topics and dinnertime dialogue as well as law and etiquette. In the same way, Andy’s family (the older generations) did the same thing as their discussions often “drifted… to other things, to common memories, old stories told again.” (p. 110) Reflecting upon memories and memories not even your own has been commonplace for such a long time, but we have lost that skill. We have lost the art of reminiscing as well. No longer (for our group’s families and those we know of) do families relax together sharing past times and the lives that they lived. Timeless lessons passed down from generation to generation to generation have begun to disintegrate without a blink of an eye. One example that promptly comes to the forefront of my mind has to do with the stars. In Astronomy class the other week, my professor talk of how our literacy of the heavens is so miniscule compared to that of an average person’s literacy only a few generations ago. When this knowledge is no longer shared, it vanishes from the common man’s life. What else have we lost? What other skills and lessons that have been learned through millennia have splintered due to the fact that we no longer passionately share the memories and past lives of loved ones and of those whom we are closest to?

While we were in the thick of commentating on this view, Professor Young meandered by, heard our talk, and posed an insightful question of his own. Why? Why have we traded off understanding and connection for ignorance? We sat. Thinking for a moment, I began to put forward an idea. To me, people no longer value the past because they want to partition themselves from the past. Things are much easier that way, no responsibility, no blame. It becomes quite convenient. One can blame whomever they want in the past because, well, they are dead. They have no rebuttal. A prime example of this, I think, would easily come from a talk we had in class a few days ago. We talked about a comparison of racism and ecological degradation. In both of these scenarios blame is being blasted around, and no one will really take responsibility for anything. This is only possible when one completely separates themselves from their own history. Like I said earlier, things are easier that way. We have severed our ties with the past for an illusion of innocence, but in return we have blindly sacrificed refined truths and insights that come from the weathering of years upon years.

Response #1

One question posed to us, Octovetians, this week was whether or not Christians should be mindful of food. My initial response jumps from my lips and is why should Christians not be mindful of food? This commodity that we call food, what else so floods our lives daily, routinely, yet can excite women and men of all ages and backgrounds? What else is so fundamentally necessary and instinctual, but now has become recreational. Food, obviously, infiltrates itself throughout every culture and group of humanity by sheer indispensability. Oddly enough though, something so plain, so essential, is lifted up, lauded, to the point of being the centrality that almost every celebration and festival revolves around. Now there are entire educational institutions to teach people to properly prepare food. On top of all of this, there is a mystical power that food brings to the table (pun intended). A power to unite, heal, nurse.  A power to cultivate discussion, understanding, joy, and peace is one of the wonderful strengths of food. However, not only is food so synonymous with happiness and glee, it also resounds with much angst and despair from an saddening amount of people. Anorexia and bulimia scour and starve the population at the same time gluttony and obesity gorges another significant portion of our friends and family. Yet, we haven’t even broken out of a major first world country’s problems and explored the devastating impact a dearth of food has on a staggering percentage of the earth’s peoples. Further beyond that, we have the almost unfathomably immense system of food production. This ranges from a single herb on the window sill of a country house on the rolling hills of southeastern Ohio to the vast swathes of grasslands in eastern Montana that support lumbering herds of cattle. How could one not be mindful of this, especially one claiming, or better yet, being a Christian? This thing called food, comida, 食糧, еда, nahrung, it actually is the building blocks of our civilization for without it we would all quite literally die. But, I believe that is not where its magic, its true power springs.

So, should Christians be mindful of food… well, I may only answer from my experience, my story, but yes, they should. I would like to share from the only thing that I can speak on. Yes, I am aware of the ravages that eating disorders impose upon young beautiful women, and yes, I do know that people are dying from starvation by the minute. Wretched and heart wrenching can only begin to describe these two scenarios. However, that is not my story. The Lord has blessed me with a dining story of joy, mostly, and from that I will (and should only) draw upon. For me, Christians should be mindful of food and the divine power that lay within it because it is so rich, so teeming with power of healing, laughter, and conversation. I could not hope to remember all of the amazing discussions I have been privileged to have around a pizza, or BBQ, or plain ole ham ’n’ cheese sandwich at the high school lunch table. So, like the article The Joy of Food, I resonate with food being tool of fellowship and friendship. Some of my earliest memories revolve around a birthday cake, a burger run with my grandpa, or delectable buckeyes from my grandma. These foods herald in family, communion. Communion with one another is so much easier with food. It opens doors and tears down walls. It builds community and fellowship while deconstructing differences. Food is a common denominator among all humans. For me, I discretely remember how often my family would sit down to the dinner table and afterwards would have a short devotion together. That is one reason I strongly believe that Christians should be mindful of food, its ability to bring together and raise community and love. Tell some guys to come hang out at church… maybe they will come. Tell them there are free pizza, hot wings, and a sundae bar, now you got a winner. I think we forget the unbelievable tool of communion we have, quite literally, at our fingertips, food! Let us not neglect such a gift, such an instrument of fellowship and love that God has given, and, I do believe, ordained us to have. Let the church remember her meals and her feasts, lest she forget her friends and those who hunger. That, yes that is why I do believe Christians and thus the church should be mindful of food so to bring others into care and healing and begin to break old dissimilarities.