The Founders Speak (Sentence 1)
July 8, 2010 Leave a Comment
Today, I offer two contiguous sentences from the Declaration of Independence. Here on the Rational side, I cite the first because it is a simple identification following a brief introductory clause…
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient Causes; and accordingly all Experience hath shewn, that Mankind are more disposed to suffer, while Evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the Forms to which they are accustomed.”
Yes, that’s correct, isn’t it? Experience hath indeed shewn that, has it not? It’s true to this day, nearly everywhere in the world. How insightful they were.
In fact, while we’re still on the Rational side, please note the verb tense used with “Mankind.” And far more importantly, please note exactly what they said had to be righted. That too is true to this day, and virtually all of our errors are caused by a failure to understand this. That’s why I’ve got the Egoism side here, so that we may go from “is” to “ought.”
Whatever else you take from this, please don’t forget what it is that has to be righted, for this is the reason that it can be done.
