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For us, the possibility of kindly use is weighted with…

“For us, the possibility of kindly use is weighted with problems. In the first place, this is not ultimately an organization or institutional solution. Institutional solutions tend to narrow and simplify as they approach action. A large number of people can act together only by defining the point…” quote by Wendell Berry
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““For us, the possibility of kindly use is weighted with problems. In the first place, this is not ultimately an organization or institutional solution. Institutional solutions tend to narrow and simplify as they approach action. A large number of people can act together only by defining the point or the line on which their various interests converge. Organizations tend to move toward single objectives -- a ruling, a vote, a law -- and they find it relatively simple to cohere under acronyms and slogans. But kindly use is a concept that of necessity broadens, becoming more complex and diverse, as it approaches action. The land is too various in its kinds, climates, conditions, declivities, aspects, and histories to conform to any generalized understanding or to prosper under generalized treatment. The use of land cannot be both general and kindly -- just as the forms of good manners, generally applied (applied, that is, without consideration of differences), are experienced as indifference, bad manners. To treat every field, or every part of every field, with the same consideration is not farming but industry. Kindly use depends upon intimate knowledge, the most sensitive responsiveness and responsibility. As knowledge (hence, use) is generalized, essential values are destroyed. As the householder evolves into a consumer, the farm evolves into a factory -- with results that are potentially calamitous for both.””

Wendell Berry

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Kindly use of land requires deep, context‑specific knowledge; broad, uniform policies ignore local diversity and cause harm.

In simple terms: Broad policies hurt local land use.

Key Takeaway

Tailor land practices to local conditions.

Themes

environment ethics agriculture policy complexity

Mood

reflective concerned

Type

philosophical analytical

When to use this quote

  • farming
  • urban planning
  • environmental regulation
  • community projects
  • land management

Key Concepts

sustainability local knowledge responsibility diversity

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can policies balance general goals with local specificity?
  • What practices foster deep local knowledge?
A Different Perspective

Uniform solutions often overlook unique ecological and cultural factors.

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