The Industrialization of Society and the Destruction of Manhood

[Bible Thumpin n Gun Totin]

Starting at 31:42 in the video, C.R Wiley begins to make the case that the Industrial Revolution changed our homes from productive buildings into relaxation centers. And this conversion of our households drastically changed the default relationship of men, women and children from coworkers in something productive to something akin to recreation roommates.

I would agree with this, and I think this is the main reason I so strongly support Christian Agrarianism. Everywhere in the Bible the home is a productive place. In Proverbs a woman is a productive member of that household as is the man. The conversion of our homes from productive to consumptive flips God's system on its head.

I'd encourage you to give it a listen.

 

[rlvaughn]

I did not listen to the whole interview, but started in at the point you mentioned (31:42). I had not heard of Pastor Wiley before, but I found he was written a couple of books along this line as well. I thought he made some very good points.

I come from a long line of what some people call yeoman farmers -- common farmer folk, not the gentry or nobles, who cultivate their own land. I live on a farm but I am not a farmer myself. My father was the first generation to make a living more from publick work than from the farm. At least by the time I, the youngest, came along, he made his living as a carpenter 40 hours a week and farmed in the evenings and on Saturday (unless there was a singing to go to!). The generations before that had cotton as the primary cash crop (which died out in our area mostly by World War II) and did some "publick" work for extra support -- though some of that was still done on the farm, such as making syrup. All that said to say, in my experience, in our community, it seemed like we had a better moral, spiritual, and neighborly atmosphere when our culture was primarily agricultural. Caveat -- farmers are sinners just as much as others, and it is not sinful to be employed in public. Nevertheless, I think depending on living off the land offers a general benefit not offered by many other employments. One, the obvious need to work hard and depend completely on God.