I think in modern times we're encouraged to think of ourselves as a blank slate that we can write our own story on. I'm an interesting case as born in Memphis, Tennessee. My family left there after a year. Here I am crazily in Israel. It came here at the age of 66 two years ago to what is the Jewish homeland. There's something incredibly humbling. As you say about realizing that you're not a very big part of a very long chain, but you are part of a chain. That creates for me and I'm curious for you a feeling of belonging that is otherwise missing.
James Rebanks's family has raised sheep in the same small English village for at least four centuries. There are records of people with his same last name going back a few hundred more. Even his sheep are rooted in place: their DNA is from Viking times. It's enough to make anyone feel insignificant--and according to Rebanks, that's a wonderful thing. Listen as the author of The Shepherd's Life speaks with EconTalk's Russ Roberts about the deep pleasures and humbling privilege of being a sheep farmer.