Wendell Berry expands on a fundamental point from Adam Smith’s work The Theory of Moral Sentiments, also reflected in his work, The Wealth of Nations. That point is the concept of sympathy -- why humans experience it and how it impacts society and the economy. Berry discusses sympathy in his lecture and concludes that sympathy is found in a certain type of person and that sympathy is based on a connection to one’s surroundings. Berry and Smith both share a similar understanding of human nature and what values are best for individuals and for society. Both Berry and Smith conclude a society’s strength comes from an individual’s value of community and respect for others.
The unique difference between Berry and Smith’s work is that Smith believes …show more content…
The prudent man is much like Berry’s idea of a Sticker, without the emphasis on staying in one location. The prudent man and a Sticker both live within their income and they do not have anxiety to change. They are both sympathetic and care about their communities. The prudent man unlike a Boomer is not overly competitive in business and does not over work himself to improve his financial state and prefers a stable life, “In the bottom of his heart he would prefer the undisturbed enjoyment of secure tranquility, not only to all the vain splendor of successful ambition, but to the real and solid glory of performing the greatest and most magnanimous actions,” (The Theory of Moral Sentiments …show more content…
The agrarian nature of Berry’s ideal community and economy is very similar to Thomas Jefferson’s view at the founding of this country. Although Berry is much more agrarian than Smith, they both share similar understandings of human psychology and how that psychology impacts the economy and the society as a whole. Berry can often be compared to Thomas Jefferson, while Hamilton shared many similar economical views with Smith, and Thomas Jefferson and Hamilton are known to have conflicting views, so it is very intriguing how Berry and Smith share such strong similarities on human psychology and how that relates to an economy. Smith wrote at the start of the industrial revolution, which is most likely why he discusses industries more than farms and why
Therefore one can assume from these two great thinkers that sympathy is a fundamental part of society and economy. Although Berry and Smith do not agree on everything in regards to what a successful economy looks like, they do agree on human virtues and how those virtues impact communities and the economy. They both agree on the importance of sympathy to an economy and that stability and steady growth is much better for an economy and society long term than the idea of risk-taking for an exponential increase in
The unique difference between Berry and Smith’s work is that Smith believes …show more content…
The prudent man is much like Berry’s idea of a Sticker, without the emphasis on staying in one location. The prudent man and a Sticker both live within their income and they do not have anxiety to change. They are both sympathetic and care about their communities. The prudent man unlike a Boomer is not overly competitive in business and does not over work himself to improve his financial state and prefers a stable life, “In the bottom of his heart he would prefer the undisturbed enjoyment of secure tranquility, not only to all the vain splendor of successful ambition, but to the real and solid glory of performing the greatest and most magnanimous actions,” (The Theory of Moral Sentiments …show more content…
The agrarian nature of Berry’s ideal community and economy is very similar to Thomas Jefferson’s view at the founding of this country. Although Berry is much more agrarian than Smith, they both share similar understandings of human psychology and how that psychology impacts the economy and the society as a whole. Berry can often be compared to Thomas Jefferson, while Hamilton shared many similar economical views with Smith, and Thomas Jefferson and Hamilton are known to have conflicting views, so it is very intriguing how Berry and Smith share such strong similarities on human psychology and how that relates to an economy. Smith wrote at the start of the industrial revolution, which is most likely why he discusses industries more than farms and why
Therefore one can assume from these two great thinkers that sympathy is a fundamental part of society and economy. Although Berry and Smith do not agree on everything in regards to what a successful economy looks like, they do agree on human virtues and how those virtues impact communities and the economy. They both agree on the importance of sympathy to an economy and that stability and steady growth is much better for an economy and society long term than the idea of risk-taking for an exponential increase in