The most alarming sign of the state of our society now is that our leaders have the courage to sacrifice the lives of young people in war, but have not the courage to tell us that we must be less greedy and less wasteful.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Society's leaders show courage in war but lack courage to address greed and waste.
- In plain terms
- Leaders fight wars but avoid telling people to stop being wasteful.
- What can you take from it?
- True courage requires addressing domestic waste and greed.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What hard truths do leaders avoid?
- How do you measure courage in leaders?
Another view
National security concerns often justify war spending over domestic reform.
More from Wendell Berry
Eating is an agricultural act.
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