The Individual Without Any Relation

August 29, 2008

Fragile Earth sculpture by Paul Clarke

A scrap of paper fell from the filing cabinet today echoing some of our reading from years past.

It was a quote by theologian Dorothee Soelle from her book The Silent Cry (Mysticism and Resistance) (2001) :

One of the spiritual difficulties in our situation is the inner connection between globalization and individualization. The more globally the market economy structures itself, the less interest it demonstrates in the social and ecological webs in which humans live, and the more it requires the individual who is without any relation whatsoever.

The partner that our global market economy needs is Homo Oeconomicus. This is an individual fit for business and pleasure, showing no interest in the anti-personnel mines that his car manufacturer produces, no interest in the water that his grandchildren will use - not to mention interest in God..

In reply to Soelle, we considered a scrap of poetry from memory… “every day do something that doesn’t compute”.

These are the rousing words of Wendell Berry in Manifesto : the Mad Farmer Liberation Front (Reclaiming Politics, 1991) :

So, friends, every day do something
that won’t compute. Love the Lord.
Love the world. Work for nothing.
Take all that you have and be poor.
Love someone who does not deserve it.

…

Go with your love to the fields.
Lie down in the shade. Rest your head
in her lap. Swear allegiance
to what is nighest your thoughts.
As soon as the generals and the politicos
can predict the motions of your mind,
lose it. Leave it as a sign
to mark the false trail, the way
you didn’t go. Be like the fox
who makes more tracks than necessary,
some in the wrong direction.
Practice resurrection.

In the Photograph : Fragile Earth sculpture by Paul Clarke at Cwmaman Sculpture Trail

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The Individual Without Any Relation

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