Community Quote by Wendell Berry
““In order to survive, a plurality of true communities would require not egalitarianism and tolerance but knowledge, an understanding of the necessity of local differences, and respect. Respect, I think, always implies imagination - the ability to see one another, across our inevitable differences, as living souls. (pg. 181, Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community)””
About This Quote
Source Book: Sex, Economy, Freedom, and Community, 1990
True communities thrive on knowledge, local differences, and imaginative respect, not just equality.
In simple terms: Respect requires understanding and imagination.
Cultivate local knowledge and empathy.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- neighborhood planning
- cultural exchange
- policy making
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you practice imaginative respect?
- What local differences do you overlook?
Imagination can be limited by bias.