Pragmatic Practice vs. Pointless Luxury

“A change of heart or of values without a practice is only another pointless luxury of a
passively consumptive way of life.”
(—Wendell Berry, from the essay “The Idea of a Local Economy“, Orion Magazine)

I rediscovered this Wendell Berry quote this week as I reflected on my upcoming Lenten
journey and how I wanted to experience it. I have numerous places I squirrel away
sayings that get my attention and like a squirrel finding a stored nut (I would imagine), I
always delight in the rediscovery. This time was no different … except that I felt more
than just delight. I also felt a bit like I’d been punched in the gut.

“A change of heart or of values without a practice is only another pointless luxury of a
passively consumptive way of life.”

Ouch! I’m not comfortable with how closely I resemble that remark.

Here we are in Lent and, unlike some years of the recent past, I’ve decided to take it
more seriously this year. I’ve got a whole 6-week plan lined out to make gradual
changes during the season and I certainly hope that enough of a “practice” is built into
the process so that the end result isn’t another pointless luxury of a passively
consumptive way of life. I hope …

But the potential is there for that to happen.

For years I dutifully wore my peace sign earrings every day to show my support for
pacifism. But a piece of jewelry does not a movement make.

For several years now my long hallway has been adorned with 28 activist posters, hung
clothesline-style on 3 tiers of red silk ribbons. “Stay Woke!” “Education not
Incarceration” “Black Girls Matter” “Sanctuary Cities Now” “And nevertheless, she
persisted” “Fund the Arts” “WTF” … you get the idea. But I NEVER look at them! In fact,
it was only after Wendell Berry refreshed my memory (and, as a result, stuck a bit of a
thorn in my side) that I took time this morning to really look at them again. It was like I
was seeing some for the first time; that’s how much of an impact they’ve had on me!
Now, to be fair, there’s no way to quantify what sort of “soft impact” they may have had.
Just being the kind of person to adorn her main domicile walkway in such a manner has
to count for something, right? Even if it’s subconscious (as in, I’m absorbing-by-
“osmosis” their messages and ethos just by passing in close proximity to them multiple
times a day and my peripheral vision, on some level, is picking up on their graphics). Or
is that just wishful thinking?

“First world problems” is a saying that came into vogue a few years back. I get the
intent, but it’s always bothered me a little bit. People living in the “first” world (whatever
that’s even supposed to mean) may be privileged but that doesn’t mean they don’t have
problems and issues and shit that gets in the way of living a thriving life. And Lent is an
annual opportunity to take stock of those things and our lives and try to make changes –
to REPENT, i.e. turn around or change the direction we’re heading – so as to be more
faithful and “blessed to be a blessing to others,” as the saying goes.

But is Lent itself even a potential luxury of a passively consumptive way of life?
I’d love to see lists of what “first world” people do for Lent and what “non-first world”
people do. Would there be an appreciable difference? One that would help me make
my practices match my changes of heart and values so as not to feed into the pointless
luxury or passively consumptive way of life that seems to pervade my world? That’s a
thought worth squirreling away for further reflection.