Seeing 1.
The first argument that Sanders brings out is in the task of Seeing 1. That "people who root themselves in places are likelier to know and acre for those places than are people who root themselves in ideas." I am somewhat agree and disagree with them. If you have a favorite book, you will be taking care of it, making sure that pages are straightened up and nobody is leaving any marks in the book. But once you do not care about this particular book or hate the subject it discusses, you wont care how the book look or what and who does something to it. The same is to the place. It depends on how the person brought up, what values he or she has, and how careful or careless he or she is to the different things, object, surrounding.
The author brings up the argument that once you build the foundation, you would rather rebuild on it over and over again no matter what happens with the "construction" that is above that foundation.
As well he mentions that staying put is the result of simple stubbornness of the humans. They invest so much into where they live so it does not matter what climate changes occur, they would rather stay where they were before. It shows another argument called devotion.
Then Sanders mention how many roads, airports and rails Americans built. But I think it is another sign of the ability of coming back again and again where you have started and staying put in your familiar place.
He mentions how the migrants bring their own values and tradition to the places they move, but at the same time the ones that stay put cherish and appreciate the importance of those values and traditions that were created by their ancestors and carried them along their lives. Once you move, you carry along yourself the negativeness that might include slavery, smallpox and rats, etc.
Once you stay put, you value your home; once you move over and over again, you never experience or loose along the way that feeling.
Once you stay put, you should keep in mind the picture that you see through the window of your place. It means to be aware not only about your surroundings, but the surroundings of the surroundings and so on.
Sanders brings the argument of the place as the destination of the holy center. He believes that once you sit still there, you might hear what might be heard anywhere. But I think you might have this spot within yourself. It does not have to be a specific location or the spot. It is up to your brain to conquer that challenge. To build around what is important to you. To keep it in your reachable distance.
Then he mentions about the old woman whose farm was willed to her daughters after her death. But where she lived once alive, they were not any longer. So they let to destroy the farm and build a new shopping plaza out here. But here again we are coming back to the values we have and how we do or do not appreciate things and what is important to us. Whether it is right or wrong, there is no a true answer. Why do they need it if they do not live there? But why would they let destroy it as it is a reminder, or even a memory, of their mother?
Some to live freely and happily have to have a place, where they could find their own themselves. Others are eager to find this within their own "I." What is right and what is wrong strictly depends on your particular nature!
The author defines being settled as "when we cease to be migrants and become inhabitants, we might begin to pay enough heed and respect to where we are. By settling in, we have a chance of making a durable home for ourselves, our fellow creatures, and our descendants." I think the main idea here is when you transform from the migrant to the inhabitant, you will be considered settled.
Being an inhabitant he describes as someone who has a commitment to any given place. The one who is intimate with his/her home region, knows the territory, understands the life as the local does. But at the same time encounters that there is a diversity of other places, cultures, ways. And you are not able to understand that truth until you travel or move around at least for a short period of time. But every time you come back home to rest and put your body to rest.
Being placed in his understanding has a meaning of not having a place to call home. You just wonder around the world without the final of that marathon, without the rest area with your own couch or crib. You have no ability to compare what is yours and how everybody else does. You are just a sightseer. The author see danger in those individuals not only to their parish but to the planet.
The author uses numerous sources from different epochs and times of the existence of our or ancient civilizations. I think those phrases, opinions and researches bring new view and idea of the subject and give him the new soil for discussion, expressing his ideas or arguing over a point of particular view. I think they used wisely as "mentions", but supported by personal view of Sanders. What concerns me I would might bring few quotes of different people to see their view on a subject, but it is another aspect of that discussion.
At the end I would just bring the example from my personal life. My grandma has spent all her entire live in her homecountry. She has not even travelled as far as a city or village apart where she lives now. Once she was a village/farm girl until she got married and moved to the city. To my request to come visit me in USA, she simply said, "I am a home girl. And not flying anywhere." Is it the example of that "stubbornness" Sanders is talking about? I would definitely say so. But let her once to find out, that her only granddaughter is expecting a child, and we will see how fast she gets to know an aircraft.
