Modern-day Mindset: The Path to Destruction

Berry, Wendell. “Faustian Economics: Hell Hath No Limits.” Harper’s Magazine. The Harper's Magazine Foundation, May 2008. Web. 31 Dec. 2009.

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In May of 2008, Wendell Berry published his feature article entitled, “Faustian Economics: Hell Hath No Limits” in Harper's Magazine. Throughout the controversial, yet influential article, Berry disproves the fallacy that the sky is the limit. He states that the majority of today’s society lives in a limitless, indestructible, and delusional world. According to Berry, the Industrial Revolution instituted the outlook that all of the world’s problems will be answered by advanced technology, scientific breakthroughs, and improved knowledge. However influential this time period may have been, he believes that this mindset should be completely eliminated from today’s society. His primary example used in the article is the case of the declining natural resources available for us to live off of. The limitless selfishness is clearly portrayed in this manner, because we continue to use up the resources at a steady pace. Instead of slowing down the use, we put our fate in technology’s hands to discover a new source of energy. Berry relates the current economic struggles to Christopher Marlowe’s play entitled Tragical History of Doctor Faustus. He relates society’s limitless mentality to the play’s primary theme of a limitless hell. If we continue to live selfishly and not consider the future the world that we call home will eventually become hell.

After reading and analyzing the article, the author’s point of view, purpose, and values are clearly evident. Berry is passionately worried about the future of man-kind and dedicated to making it very clear that society needs a dramatic change. His point of view is undoubtedly important seeing that he is considering the overall well-being of all of humanity. In order to illustrate his seriousness about the matter, he speaks in first person plural throughout the essay. This emphasizes that everyone is a part of the problem and everyone is affected by it. Berry’s effective use of detailed examples and word repetition challenges even the most defiantly opinionated person to analyze the manner in which they are living. He challenges the reader to consider whether or not they are truly one of the selfish individuals he speaks of. If so, he attempts to get them to see that the world does have limits and boundaries should be set. By the conclusion of the article, Berry hopes to have influenced the reader to see the change, make the change, and spread the change that is necessary for the survival of both us as individuals and us as a whole.