Patience and Sustainability

Abstract In this essay I first present a general account of the virtue of patience, drawing upon recent work by Matthew Pianalto and Nic Bommarito. I then illustrate how patience, so understood, will be a crucial virtue in achieving sustainability across a variety of contexts—from efforts in ecological restoration, to political and social action, to responding appropriately to setbacks, errors, and suffering more generally. I argue that a focus on patience in such contexts can bring to the fore often-overlooked aspects of the virtue, including its role (1) in pursuing goals where we ourselves will never see the full impacts and outcomes of our actions, and (2) in maintaining our goals and actions despite a lack of clear results and feedback. To pursue the long-term goals of sustainability effectively, often without clear, short-term, or immediate feedback will constitute a significant challenge; patience and perspective will be essential.