Do you come out a family or religious tradition that set you up for engaging with the world on these terms, or have you revolted into tradition on your own?
I just read the Amish book you recommended- a very remarkable people with many self conscious techniques to maintain themselves - but how would such a thing come into being today? The isolated nuclear family patriarch trying to instigate a tradition is weak in one way, a leaderless network of people is weak in another.
A follow up.
Do you come out a family or religious tradition that set you up for engaging with the world on these terms, or have you revolted into tradition on your own?
I just read the Amish book you recommended- a very remarkable people with many self conscious techniques to maintain themselves - but how would such a thing come into being today? The isolated nuclear family patriarch trying to instigate a tradition is weak in one way, a leaderless network of people is weak in another.
For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.
(Ecclesiastes 1)
Which is not to say that one should not acquire wisdom. Quite the contrary.
On books (I am a bookworm myself, but this is very true):
And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.
(Ecclesiastes 12)