Accepted Quote by Wendell Berry
“How would you describe the difference between modern war and modern industry-between say, bombing and strip mining, or between chemical warfare and chemical manufacturing? The difference seems to be only that in war the victimization of humans is directly intentional and in industry it is "accepted" as a "trade-off." Were the catastrophes of Love Canal, Bhopal, Chernobyl, and the Exxon Valdez episodes of war or of peace? They were in fact, peacetime acts of aggression, intentional to the extent that the risks were known and ignored.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Unsettling of America, 1977
War and industry differ mainly in intent: war deliberately harms humans, while industry accepts collateral damage as a trade‑off.
In simple terms: War is intentional harm; industry tolerates harm.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and challenge accepted harms.
Themes
ethics
environment
war
industry
responsibility
Mood
critical
concerned
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- policy debate
- environmental regulation
- corporate accountability
- public health
- activism
Key Concepts
intentionality
trade‑off
human cost
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we hold corporations accountable for known risks?
- Can societal norms shift to treat industrial harm as war?
A Different Perspective
Industry’s “accepted” harms may be as destructive as war, but lack explicit intent.
![“Rather than comparing [war] to art we could more accurately compare it to commerce, which is also a conflict of human interests and activities; and it is still closer to politics, which in turn may be considered as a kind of commerce on a larger scale.” quote by Carl von Clausewitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c35/carl-von-clausewitz-2060_activity_rather-than-comparing-war-to-art-we-coul_21236.jpg)
![“We have reached a situation where a theory has been accepted as fact by some, and possible contrary evidence is shunted aside. [This is] mythology rather than science.” quote by Robert Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c31/robert-shapiro-26969_accepted_we-have-reached-a-situation-where-a-theo_19120.jpg)
