His Words in Today's Context
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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?
“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.
“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 delivery.
American journalism went through its birth pangs along with the nation. We take for granted today the idea of “party politics” in our democracy, even as we either engage in or decry acrimony of the other party.
If Thomas Paine was the first American Blogger, then those that followed with their own sheets, newspapers, and pamphlets became, in the early years of American Democracy, the first blogoshere.
And it is still revolutionary.
“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 is better to look elsewhere to exchange ideas and find human compassion.
“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 precipice of truth, there is no going back, for it is the journey that encompasses a lifetime.
“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 character in the name of “national interest”, whether through executive fiat or public apathy, it is all but ceding victory – winning the battle but losing the war.
A war for oil is one of interest. A war for the ideal of human freedom is one of character. Lest we get confused which is which.
“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.