--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Can we actually suppose that we are…" description: "\"Can we actually suppose that we are wasting, polluting, and making ugly this beautiful land for the sake of patriotism and the love of God? Perhaps som..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/wendell-berry-236_beautiful_can-we-actually-suppose-that-we-are-wast_1432198.jpg" --- # Can we actually suppose that we are wasting, polluting… ![“Can we actually suppose that we are wasting, polluting, and making ugly this beautiful land for the sake of patriotism and the love of God? Perhaps some of us would like to think so, but in fact this destruction is taking place because we have allowed ourselves to believe, and to live, a mated…” quote by Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/wendell-berry-236_beautiful_can-we-actually-suppose-that-we-are-wast_1432198.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/wendell-berry-236_beautiful_can-we-actually-suppose-that-we-are-wast_1432198.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/wendell-berry-236_beautiful_can-we-actually-suppose-that-we-are-wast_1432198.jpg) > “Can we actually suppose that we are wasting, polluting, and making ugly this beautiful land for the sake of patriotism and the love of God? Perhaps some of us would like to think so, but in fact this destruction is taking place because we have allowed ourselves to believe, and to live, a mated pair of economic lies: that nothing has a value that is not assigned to it by the market; and that the economic life of our communities can safely be handed over to the great corporations.” [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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. The quote critiques how patriotism and religious sentiment mask environmental destruction, driven by market‑centric values and corporate control. **In simple terms:** Market values hide ecological harm. Key Takeaway Question the true cost of patriotism. Themes environment economics ethics spirituality Mood concerned reflective Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - urban planning - policy making - community activism - environmental education Key Concepts Ecocentrism market critique corporate power Questions to Reflect On - What values should guide land stewardship? - How can communities resist corporate dominance? A Different Perspective Economic narratives can ignore non‑market values. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beautiful land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful-land/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Conservative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conservative/) [Corporations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/corporations/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Economic Lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-lies-692235/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [God love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-love/) [Land](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/land/) [Lies Value](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lies-value-692236/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-of-god/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Our community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-community/) [Pairs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pairs/) [Patriotism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriotism/) [Sake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sake/) [Suppose Wasting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suppose-wasting-692238/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Ugly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ugly/) [Values](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/values/) [Wasting Polluting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wasting-polluting-5103004/) ## Related quotes > [“Can we actually suppose that we are wasting, polluting, and making ugly this beautiful land for the sake of patriotism and the love of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/can-we-actually-suppose-that-we-are-wasting-polluting-and-making-ugly/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [“In order to demonstrate IT value, organizations need to first know wherein lies the IT value.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-zhu/in-order-to-demonstrate-it-value-organizations-need-to-first-know/) [Pearl Zhu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-zhu/) > [“One of the primary barriers in this society to total freedom is economics. 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We know it well that none of us acting alone can achieve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/we-understand-it-still-that-there-is-no-easy-road-to-freedom-we-know/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [May God fill this beautiful land of Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador with his peace and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-luis-guerra/may-god-fill-this-beautiful-land-of-colombia-venezuela-and-ecuador/) [Juan Luis Guerra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-luis-guerra/) > [“Oh Beautiful For A Land That's Free Where All Can Congregate Together Live With No Degree Of Bigotry And Hate”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-bee/oh-beautiful-for-a-land-that-s-free-where-all-can-congregate-together/) [Kathy Bee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-bee/) ## More by Wendell Berry > [During the last 17 years... I have been working at the restoration of a once exhausted hillside. 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Be joyful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/laughter-is-immeasurable-be-joyful/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [These are people who are capable of devotion, public devotion, to justice. They meant what they said and every day that passes, they mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/these-are-people-who-are-capable-of-devotion-public-devotion-to/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) [Explore all 847 Wendell Berry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) ## More Beautiful quotes > [I received a beautiful welcome to the world of music. 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