Sympathetic Minds vs Rational Minds

When Reece discusses Wendell Berry's theory on "two minds" he distinguishes between the "sympathetic mind" and the "rational mind". The sympathetic mind sees the world (society and nature) as a delicate balance which is made of intricate connections and interconnectedness. The sympathetic mind has an "impulse towards wholeness". For me this translates into thinking on a macro scale and in long durations of time. It also involves interpreting the world from an objective and empathetic point of view. The rational mind on the other hand is more calculated and logical. It thinks in short term and in regards to specific analysis and data. This translates to a closed mind which cannot conceptualize the feelings or motivations of other outside actors. For the rational mind, there is one goal that must be accomplished without concession.
Reece displays that his mind is one Wendell Berry would term a "sympathetic mind" and he shows this many times in his book. The first example I find that Reece is "sympathetic" is on pg. 184 when he discusses part of the coal operators rhetoric that eastern Kentuckians have "already fucked [the mountains] up anyways, why not mine it?" In this statement it is apparent that the coal operators are very much in the rational mindset. Reece counters with the fact that the reason the mountains are messed up are because of interrelated and overlooked issues such as rampant poverty that accounts for improper plumbing and waste management. He sees the underlying connections between the peoples poverty and the exploitation of the people by the coal companies themselves. To Reece, Appalachia is a region with value that has been squandered and taken from the people. He sees value in the lifestyles that Appalachian people had lived for years even if it is basic subsistence like hunting/ gathering and small share crops.
The second example I found of Reece's "sympathetic mind" is when he is discussing the end of Lost Mountain and quotes several philosophers on ecology and the duty of humans to steward the land. He says that the rapidly developing forces of science and technology ,and also implicitly, business must also be met with two other forces- ethics and aesthetics. For him a prime example of what not to do is strip mining. His reasoning is we inherently love things that are beautiful and that we do not destroy what we love. Thus, strip mining and irresponsible stewardship of the earth is unethical. It destroys the true value of the earth. Of course, coal operators would see this argument as irrational a waste of good resources.

For the second part of this blog I found a quote on pg 233: "Our spiritual crisis is that we, as individuals, too often cannot see beyond our own inflated narcissism to love something whose value cannot be immediately translated into monetary terms or human uses...What is disturbing and destructive is that our ethical values, our spiritual values, and our aesthetic values have not kept pace with science." I really find this quote to be profound. In my eyes this quote can be applied not only to strip mining and environmentalism but to global expansion and the exploitation of both human and environmental resources. Globalization has been driven by technology and science. Feasible worldwide communication and transportation are really a phenomena of the last century and have created a global market and economy in which efficiency and profit are the main motivators. The rapid destruction of natural resources (i.e Subharan Africa, rampant pollution over Asia, and the destruction of millions of acres of rainforest) is overburdening a planet which is already on a path on instustainabity. This mirrors also the exploitation of human resources (i.e outsourcing, child labor, and essentially slave labor in some countries). With power comes responsibility. Our ethics and view of the global affairs have not changed from a simpler time. It seems that many still perceive only the here and now or cannot find the empathy for exploitation. If I can't see the destruction of a rainforest or the worker slaving for pennies a day then I am not responsible. It doesnt directly affect my life. These are dangerous viewpoints in a world that needs to take the right steps to preserve itself from destruction.