Although readers of this blog may never be able to tell, I am an avid reader. I want to let folk know about the really great work out there (in the midst of the piles of junk) but just haven’t made time to write something I consider to be worthy.  Well, I will stop trying to do something worthwhile and instead put my pennies in the pot.

The only book I read in 2009 that caused me to call the publisher and order extra copies so I may give copies away is Crowd Culture: An Examination of the American Way of Life by Bernard Iddings Bell.

Regarding the church Bell wrote,

“The world, hurtling on toward political, economic, psychic catastrophe, is not going to be saved, if it is saved at all, by the Church if the Church remains an uncommitted host of politely respectable people, willing to be led by professional ecclesiastics whose methods of promotion and administration are just about as worldly as those of the sick society they say they wish to reform but which, as a matter of fact, deforms them almost as easily as it deforms everybody else.  If the Church is to help in restoring the world to moral sanity, there must first be revolt and recovery of moral sanity within the Church.” (pg. 76)

Regarding education Bell wrote,

“The idea is to treat all the pupils as though they were equally intelligent.  The standard of achievement is set to fit the average, which is fair-to-middling low.  The result is a mediocrity which frets and frustrates the more able while it flatters the incompetent.  This mediocrity is making Americans increasingly a set of dull dogs, standardized in opinions, fearful of argument, clichéd in conversation.” (pg. 50)

Regarding American culture Bell wrote,

“Corruption corrodes our political and industrial doings.  In our private lives a pervading relativism, an absence of conviction about what is the good life, a willingness to seek the easy way rather than the way of integrity, blunts the proddings of conscience, takes the zest out of living, creates a general boredom.  We are not a happy people; our alleged gaiety is not spontaneous.  Our boredom results not only in a reluctant morality but in shockingly bad manners, which most of us do not even know are bad manners.  We become increasingly truculent [meaning “savage”…I had to look it up too:)].  Our way of life, while opulent and brash and superficially friendly, is less and less conducive to peace of mind and security of soul.” (pg. 4)

While Bell’s well expressed assessments may seem a little harsh we cannot escape the truth of their correctness.

Here is the real “kicker”:  Bernard Iddings Bell was a Episcopalian priest, collegiate professor and a man of letters.  This book was originally published when more Americans than ever were attending church and while the United States was experiencing a so-called cultural renaissance, a time period looked at by many as the “golden age”: the 1950’s.

I would be so bold to add Bell’s many titles the designation “prophet.”  Although he addressed contemporary issues, his work stands firmly and fully true today and many would do well to read his essays carefully and then join me in repentance.

*Reader Alert!*  Keep the dictionary handy and take the time to read the outstanding introduction by Cicero Bruce.

Bell, Bernard Iddings. Crowd Culture: An Examination of the American Way of Life. Wilmington, DE: ISI Books (c) 1952, 2001. ISBN 1882926609/9781882926602