It might seem to you that living in the woods on a riverbank would remove you from the modern world. But not if the river is navigable, as ours is. On pretty weekends in the summer, this riverbank is the very verge of the modern world. It is a seat in the front row, you might say. On those weekends, the river is disquieted from morning to night by people resting from their work. This resting involves traveling at great speed, first on the road and then on the river. The people are in an emergency to relax. They long for the peace and quiet of the great outdoors. Their eyes are hungry for the scenes of nature. They go very fast in their boats. They stir the river like a spoon in a cup of coffee. They play their radios loud enough to hear above the noise of their motors. They look neither left nor right. They don't slow down for - or maybe even see - an old man in a rowboat raising his lines.. I watch and I wonder and I think. I think of the old slavery, and of the way The Economy has now improved upon it. The new slavery has improved upon the old by giving the new slaves the illusion that they are free. The Economy does not take people's freedom by force, which would be against its principles, for it is very humane. It buys their freedom, pays for it, and then persuades its money back again with shoddy goods and the promise of freedom. .Wendell Berry
About This Quote
This quote is the epitome of the struggle of those caught in our world. This struggle can be seen as a metaphor for those who work hard for their wages and those who do not. People who struggle and work hard for their wages often find themselves in a position where they feel like they must work long hours. At the end of their shift, they simply want to go home and rest.
They don't want to go out at night and drink and do drugs. Many times, they wish that they could enjoy the ease of relaxation that comes with not working overtime. While this struggle is common, there are those who choose to work hard so that they can afford to relax and enjoy life.
They don't have to worry about getting paid at the end of the day, so they can enjoy their time off.
Source: Jayber Crow
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