“When it becomes necessary to do a thing, the whole heart and soul should go into the measure, or not attempt it”-Thomas Paine, Rights of Man If it is something truly worthwhile, then it requires the best effort you can give it, or you are unworthy of the cause. Tags: thomas+paine, thomas+paine+quotes, quotes+interpreted
Author Archives: Thomas Schueneman
On Being Wrong for the Right Reasons
“It is more generous to be wrong on the side of confidence than on the side of suspicion.”-Thomas Paine, The Age of Reason To be forthright in your belief, and be wrong, is better than to error in unwarranted suspicion. Tags: Thomas+Paine, Thomas+Paine+quotes, quotes+interpreted, suspicion, confidence, belief, wrong+for+the+right+reasons
On Wealth and Poverty
“Wealth is no proof of moral character; nor poverty of the want of it — On the contrary, wealth is often the presumptive evidence of dishonesty; and poverty the negative evidence of innocence.”-Thomas Paine, Principles of Government The accumulation of wealth often carries with it a moral burden; one most easily avoided by the simple innocence of it. …
On the Morality of Consequence
“There are many things which in themselves are neither morally good nor bad, but they are productive of consequences, which are strongly marked with one or other of these characters.”-Thomas Paine “Who would know?”, “What’s the harm?”, “Nobody gets hurt…” But what if you’re wrong? Tags: thomas+paine, thomas+paine+quotes, quotes+interpreted, morality, moral+consequence
On Regret
“A life chequered with uncommon varieties is seldom a long one. Action and care will in time wear down the strongest frame, but guilt and melancholy are poisons of quick despatch.”-Thomas Paine Guilt and remorse are a diseases that afflict the human spirit. A life lived at odds with our fundamental nature is seldom long or happy. …
On the Blogoshere, Grassroots Media, and the Citizen Journalist
“When the tongue or the pen is let loose in a frenzy of passion, it is the man and not the subject that becomes exhausted”-Thomas Paine, Rights of Man In many cases one thing the blogosphere lacks, other than not always having its facts straight, is civility. The only thing new is the method of …
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On Saving Your Breath
“It is folly to argue against determined hardness; eloquence may strike the ear, and the language of sorrow draw forth the tear of compassion, but nothing can reach the heart that is steeled with prejudice.” A mind stuck in fear, prejudice, and hatred can only become unstuck of it’s own will. It is impenetrable. It …
On Seeking Truth and the Life of the Mind
“The mind, in discovering truth, acts in the same manner as it acts through the eye in discovering objects; when once any object has been seen, it is impossible to put the mind back to the same condition it was in before it saw it.”-Thomas Paine, Rights of Man Once we venture out onto the …
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On Going to War for the Wrong Reasons, Fear, and Giving Up Our Character
“Character is to us, in our present circumstances, of more importance than interest.”-Thomas Paine, the American Crisis If our reasons for going to war are to protect and extend freedom and the ideals of our own founding, then it is in our interest to preserve the character of our nation. Radical attempts to alter that …
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On Differing Beliefs, Intolerance, and What it Proves
“If I do not believe as you believe, it proves that you do not believe as I believe, and this is all that it proves.” Despite all wars, hatreds, antagonisms, intolerance and abuse engendered to cure the “non-believers”, such action only serves to weaken the belief for which it is purported to serve. Tags: Thomas+Paine, Thomas+Paine+quotes, quotes+interpreted, intolerence, …
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