Americans have the dysfunctional government we deserve and was predicted from the start.

 "But I go on this great republican principle, that the people will have virtue and intelligence to select men of virtue and wisdom. Is there no virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks -- no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea. If there be sufficient virtue and intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection of these men. So that we do not depend on their virtue, or put confidence in our rulers, but in the people who are to choose them."  -- James Madison   (1751-1836), Father of the Constitution for the USA, 4th US President.   Source: Virginia Ratifying Convention, 1788

Washington Post Editorial Board regarding Declaration of Independence.

 

Washington Post Editorial Board Opinion:  Print edition 10-21-24

"America has a big birthday coming. Kamala Harris should talk plans.  The celebration is a chance to renew our nation’s commitment to the promise of its founding.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2024/10/20/semiquincentennial-america-birthday-harris-independence/

On July Fourth, 2026, America will celebrate its semiquincentennial. This ungainly word means 250 years of striving toward the majestic truths invoked in our founding: that a government must derive its “just powers from the consent of the governed,” and secure to all its people their inalienable rights to “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

If our nation has often failed to live up to these ideals, it has also advanced them far beyond what anyone could have dreamed possible when most of the world was still mired in monarchism. Our coming birthday is a chance to celebrate how far we’ve come and, of course, to renew our nation’s commitment to the promise of its founding.

This is a message we should be hearing more from our candidates for president. It would be a welcome relief from negative campaigning, and it presents an opportunity to unite the country around a common purpose, in preparation for the hard work that faces whoever wins: putting the country’s fiscal house in order, laying the basis for a growing economy and providing opportunity for those who lack it.

Donald Trump released a video in May 2023, promising a “spectacular birthday party … the best of all time.” He proposed daily activities starting a year before July 4, 2026, centered on what he called a “Great American State Fair.” But he has seldom if at all returned to this upbeat notion, campaigning instead on darker themes such as the threats from migrants and the “enemy from within.” Vice President Kamala Harris has an opportunity to sharpen the contrast with her opponent by leaning into celebrating America’s history and potential.

A thought: She should start planning her own alternative vision for the 250th birthday party now, and lay out plans for her 330 million potential guests. She should promise to work with Congress toward the biggest, best — and most truly inclusive — patriotic extravaganza our nation has ever seen. She could make this a down payment on her promise to be “a president who unites us around our highest aspirations.”

Efforts are already underway to plan the semiquincentennial, but they got off to a slow start, mirroring much of the country’s political dysfunction. The federal commission appointed to oversee the proceedings, writes the Atlantic, “swiftly descended into a morass of charges and countercharges over process, favoritism, hiring, gender discrimination, and budget decisions.”

Things now seem to be moving forward under new leadership, and Ms. Harris needn’t promise to start over from scratch. But she should explain how she will put her own spin on the celebrations, including, if necessary, asking Congress for more money. She should also try to persuade skeptics on her side of the political spectrum that the United States is indeed something worth celebrating. “The problem is, many Americans don’t know what they’d be celebrating” the Atlantic writer notes later in the essay. “On the left, rejecting traditional patriotism has become de rigueur: by kneeling for the national anthem, dismissing the Founders as enslavers, and expressing unease at the prospect of flying an American flag.”

Ms. Harris is well-positioned to make this pitch, because as the child of immigrants and a woman of color, she represents in her very candidacy the progress the country has seen. But if she cannot persuade the naysayers, she should show the courage to ignore a vocal minority that would rather use the moment to dwell on this country’s flaws than to celebrate our even more numerous virtues.

This would be more than an exercise in shallow nationalism. The United States is a remarkable achievement, and it could become more remarkable still. The celebration would also be popular: Two-thirds of citizens say they are “very” or “extremely” proud to be Americans, and some of the rest might be won over by a country that’s demonstrably proud of itself. Moreover, achieving a government that does more to advance human rights abroad and care for its citizens at home depends on cultivating a strong sense of patriotism. If you want Americans to make sacrifices to help one another, and the world, then you must first convince them that America is worth sacrificing for.

It would be nice, in theory, to suggest the same for Mr. Trump. The problem is that his alternative vision does not fit this (or any) moment. It would in fact be incongruous for Mr. Trump to preside over the nation’s semiquincentennial as he campaigns around the idea of an imperiled America.

As this campaign comes to a close, an opportunity remains for at least one candidate to make an uplifting, unifying, 250th birthday party his, or her, cause.

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The Post’s View | About the Editorial Board

Editorials represent the views of The Post as an institution, as determined through discussion among members of the Editorial Board, based in the Opinions section and separate from the newsroom.

Members of the Editorial Board: Opinion Editor David Shipley, Deputy Opinion Editor Charles Lane and Deputy Opinion Editor Stephen Stromberg, as well as writers Mary Duenwald, David E. Hoffman, James Hohmann, Mili Mitra, Eduardo Porter, Keith B. Richburg and Molly Roberts.

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The next day I submitted my letter to the editor in response to this Washington Post editorial.  

10-21-24:  Dear Editor,  

The Declaration’s 250 Birthday July 4, 2026, is not just for the US.  Our nation was created 11 years after this aspirational ideal of human freedom was officially recognized by a few dozen men knowingly risking their lives and their fortunes to proclaim it globally.  Nearly a century later President Lincoln asserted it was ‘for all people, everywhere for all time.’  And called it our “Apple of Gold” and our Constitution its “Silver Frame”.  

The concept of “self-Evident” “Truths” that “WE” should all “hold” offers us the potential to cure the global truth decay that is now demolishing the trust needed for any democracy or autocracy to function without violence or destroying nature.   These truths are based on “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” (a phrase that could enlighten the least educated or the most polarized minds – but remains the most ignored yet valuable phrase of the declaration).  This wisdom simply suggests ‘taking care of nature, and each other - practicing ‘the golden rule” – which is the foundation of every religion.  This profound phrase prefaces the most fundamental short list of “unalienable Rights” that every human is born with - “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”.  The Universal Declaration of Human Rights approved at the UN in 1948 lists the others.

Yet with all our collective intelligence we still allow leaders to persist in ignoring this wisdom when making human laws.  If humanity is to escape the cascading chaos of the growing number of disruptive forces now fueling authoritarian movements in ‘democratic’ nations this celebration must go global.  Because, it is impossible to effectively address globally interdependent problems as independent nations.    Jen Easterly, Director of our nation’s newest federal agency, CISA, the Cyber and Infrastructure Security Agency made this claim Oct. 29, 2021.  Former President Trump created CISA and appointed Ms. Easterly who still holds the position.  She asserted that “Everything is connected, everything is interdependent, so everything is vulnerable.... And that’s why this has to be a more than whole of government, a more than whole of nation [effort]. It really has to be a global effort....” 

https://www.c-span.org/video/?515706-1/protecting-critical-infrastructure Note, the word ‘Everything’ is an autological word that defines itself.  And includes the environment and every strand of DNA in our bodies.

In the previous century nearly 50 leaders in other nations referred to the Declaration when freeing their people from tyranny.  President John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address (1961) offered the Declaration’s wisdom then.  And President Carter’s 1980 bipartisan Presidential Commission on World Hunger summarized the same wisdom.  

With the evolution of war, weapons, pathogens, environmental destruction, truth decay, political polarization, and growing global tensions...civilization’s capacity to achieve heaven on earth and restore our Garden of Eden has never been greater.  Voters and Candidates need to wise up or our nation as we love it may not make it another 21 months.

Chuck Woolery,
Former Chair UNA Council of Organizations

Rockville, MD

*****************************

The WP editor told me on Halloween it would be printed on election day. His edits are below. I approved them without reading them (just so happy it would even be printed...;-))  Below is what was printed - along with two other Letters regarding the 250 anniversary of Declaration celebration planned for July 4th, 2026.   One on the importance of protecting the Mall from extreme weather events, and the other protecting our environment from litter and being trashed.

 ******************

Dear Editor,

The Declaration of Independence’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026, will not simply be for the United States. Our Founding Fathers created this aspirational ideal of human freedom and risked their lives and fortunes to proclaim it across the globe. Nearly a century later, President Abraham Lincoln called the Declaration our “apple of gold” and our Constitution its “silver frame.”

The concept of self-evident truths that we should all hold contains the cure for the global truth decay that is demolishing trust in our democracy. These truths are based on “the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God,” one of the most ignored and valuable phrases in the Declaration. This profound phrase prefaces the most fundamental short list of “unalienable Rights” that every human is born with: “life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, approved by the United Nations in 1948, lists the others.

Yet, with all our collective intelligence, we still allow lawmakers to ignore this wisdom. If humanity is to escape the growing number of disruptive forces now fueling authoritarian movements, this celebration of the Declaration must go global. It is impossible to effectively address the world’s problems as an isolated nation.

Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said in 2021: “Everything is connected, everything is interdependent, so everything is vulnerable. … And that’s why this has to be a more than whole of government, a more than whole of nation [effort]. It really has to be a global effort.”

In the previous century, nearly 50 leaders in other nations referred to the Declaration of Independence when freeing their people from tyranny. President John F. Kennedy’s 1961 inaugural address drew on the Declaration’s wisdom. And President Jimmy Carter’s 1980 bipartisan Presidential Commission on World Hunger summarized the same vision of a world united and liberated by these ideas.

With the evolution of war, weapons, pathogens, environmental destruction, truth decay, political polarization and growing global tensions, the need to restore civilization’s Garden of Eden has never been greater. Voters and candidates need to wise up, or this nation we love might not make it.

Chuck Woolery, Rockville

The writer is former chair of the United Nations Association Council of Organizations.

 

 

 

 

JFK 1961 inauguration in the context of the Declaration of Independence 1776

 

President John F. Kennedy's Inaugural Address (1961)

On January 20, 1961, President John F. Kennedy delivered his inaugural address in which he announced that "we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty."

https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/president-john-f-kennedys-inaugural-address

We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom--symbolizing an end as well as a beginning--signifying renewal as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago.

The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe--the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state but from the hand of God.

We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans--born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage--and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today at home and around the world.

Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.

This much we pledge--and more.

To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided there is little we can do--for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.

To those new states whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom--and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.

To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required--not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.

To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge--to convert our good words into good deeds--in a new alliance for progress--to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.

To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support--to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective--to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak--and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.

Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.

We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.

But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course--both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.

So let us begin anew--remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.

Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.

Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms--and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.

Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths and encourage the arts and commerce.

Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah--to "undo the heavy burdens . . . (and) let the oppressed go free."

And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.

All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first one thousand days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.

In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.

Now the trumpet summons us again--not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need--not as a call to battle, though embattled we are-- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation"--a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease and war itself.

Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?

In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility--I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it--and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you--ask what you can do for your country.

My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.

Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.

Islamic and Christian teachings: and the Declaration of Independence

 This is from ChatGPT 

The ideals in the Declaration of Independence—particularly life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—intersect with Islamic and Christian teachings in unique ways, reflecting different theological foundations and historical contexts. Here’s how Islam and Christianity might engage with these ideals differently:

Christianity:  Christianity, particularly in its Western context, has often been closely tied to concepts of individual liberty and human rights, partly because the Declaration of Independence emerged in a Christian-majority society. Many Christian theologians emphasize that human dignity and freedom are God-given. Key differences in Christian thought on the Declaration’s ideals might include:

• Life: Christianity holds life as sacred, grounded in the belief that humans are made in God’s image. Christians might align with the Declaration’s emphasis on life but stress the sanctity of life from conception to natural death. In more conservative branches, this includes strong positions on issues like abortion and euthanasia.

• Liberty: Christianity values spiritual freedom in Christ, which is sometimes seen as more important than political liberty. While many Christian denominations support political freedom, particularly in democratic societies, liberty is often framed as a freedom to live according to God’s will. Some Christian teachings prioritize moral accountability and responsibility, which could place limits on certain freedoms (e.g., sexual or lifestyle choices).

• Pursuit of Happiness: Christian theology might view happiness differently from the Declaration’s interpretation, focusing more on spiritual fulfillment and joy in God than on material or personal achievements. Happiness in Christianity is often framed as a byproduct of living a righteous life in service to God and others, not necessarily through the pursuit of individual desires.

Islam:   Islam’s engagement with the ideals of the Declaration of Independence would be shaped by its different understanding of law (Sharia), community (Ummah), and divine sovereignty. Some distinctive Islamic perspectives might be:

• Life: Like Christianity, Islam holds life to be sacred, but with an added emphasis on collective responsibilities within the community. The Quran emphasizes the protection of life and condemns unjust killing, aligning with the Declaration’s emphasis on life but within the context of duty to God and others.

• Liberty: Islamic thought places a greater emphasis on submission to God (Allah) rather than personal liberty. Freedom is understood as liberation from sin and ignorance, achieved through obedience to divine law. Thus, liberty in the Western sense might be viewed differently. Personal freedoms can be restricted for the sake of maintaining societal order, modesty, and morality as defined by Islamic teachings.

• Pursuit of Happiness: In Islam, happiness is also seen as tied to fulfilling one’s duties to God and others. The pursuit of happiness is understood through the lens of achieving spiritual success (success in this life and the afterlife), rather than individualistic or material fulfillment. The focus is on living a balanced life (the concept of mizan) within the framework of divine law.

Key Differences: 

• Individual vs. Collective Focus: Christianity, especially in its modern Western interpretations, tends to emphasize individual rights and freedoms, which aligns with the Declaration’s focus. In contrast, Islam tends to emphasize the collective good and the responsibilities of individuals to their community and God, often placing more restrictions on individual freedoms for the sake of societal harmony.

• Concept of Freedom: In Christianity, especially Protestant traditions, liberty is seen as an intrinsic part of human dignity and God’s gift. In Islam, freedom is found through submission to divine law. So while Christians may argue for liberty in democratic terms, Muslims might prioritize liberty as a form of religious freedom within the context of obedience to God.

• The Role of Divine Authority: Both religions acknowledge God’s authority over human affairs, but Christianity tends to place more emphasis on individual conscience and freedom under God’s guidance. In contrast, Islamic governance systems and laws (Sharia) have historically integrated religious authority with political life, meaning that freedoms are often interpreted within the bounds of divine law.

Both traditions would engage with the Declaration’s ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness in ways shaped by their religious commitments to God, community, and moral responsibility.

The word “virtue” aligns well with both Islam and Christianity, especially when considering the difference between how “happiness” was understood during the drafting of the Declaration of Independence versus its more modern, individualistic interpretation.

Historical Context of “Happiness”:  When the Declaration of Independence was written, the concept of happiness was more closely tied to virtue, moral integrity, and the well-being of the community. It was rooted in classical philosophy, particularly the ideas of thinkers like Aristotle, who linked happiness (eudaimonia) to living a virtuous life and fulfilling one’s purpose within society. In that sense, happiness wasn’t just about personal pleasure or emotional well-being, but about contributing to the common good and living in harmony with moral and natural laws.

Over time, the definition of happiness has shifted, particularly in modern Western societies, where it tends to focus more on individual feelings, personal fulfillment, and subjective emotional states. This shift often leads to a more self-centered interpretation of happiness, disconnected from communal responsibility or moral virtue.

Virtue in Islam and Christianity:   Both Islam and Christianity place a strong emphasis on virtue, framing it as essential for a well-lived life and communal harmony:

• Christianity and Virtue: Christian teachings, particularly in the New Testament, emphasize the importance of virtues like love (charity), humility, temperance, and justice. These are seen as essential not just for personal salvation but also for creating a righteous and just society. The pursuit of virtue aligns with the biblical commandment to “love thy neighbor” and to live a life that reflects God’s moral order. The idea of happiness in Christianity traditionally encompasses the pursuit of these virtues, which lead to spiritual joy and fulfillment.

 •  Islam and Virtue: In Islam, virtue is also central to living a good life. Islamic teachings emphasize values like justice (adl), compassion (rahma), generosity (sadaqah), and humility (tawadu’). These virtues are seen as essential for both personal spiritual success and the well-being of the Ummah (the community of believers). Islam teaches that true happiness (success in both this life and the hereafter) is achieved by fulfilling one’s responsibilities to God and to others through virtuous living.

Virtue as the Bridge:  In both religions, virtue serves as a bridge between personal happiness and communal well-being. This mirrors the original intent behind the Declaration’s “pursuit of happiness”—the idea that individual fulfillment and societal good are intertwined, with virtue acting as the glue. A virtuous life is one where personal desires are aligned with the greater good, ensuring that individuals contribute positively to their community.

By reclaiming “virtue” as a core concept in the interpretation of the Declaration’s ideals, both Islam and Christianity would find common ground in emphasizing that true liberty and happiness are not about unfettered personal freedom, but about living in accordance with moral principles that benefit both the individual and society. In this way, the modern notion of happiness as purely personal or emotional is replaced with a deeper understanding of happiness as being closely tied to moral virtue and communal responsibility.

Thus, emphasizing “virtue” instead of modern, subjective interpretations of “happiness” aligns more naturally with both religious traditions, as well as with the original vision of the Declaration of Independence.

The transition from the original sense of “virtue” to today’s emphasis on personal happiness is the result of a complex set of philosophical, cultural, and economic changes that have unfolded over centuries. Several key factors contributed to this shift:

1. The Enlightenment and Individualism: The Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th centuries emphasized reason, science, and individual autonomy. Thinkers like John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau challenged traditional authority and promoted ideas about personal rights, liberty, and self-determination. While earlier Enlightenment philosophers like Locke still saw individual rights in the context of community and moral obligations, later thinkers such as Rousseau and Immanuel Kant increasingly emphasized the individual as the center of moral and philosophical thought.

• Impact: This philosophical shift helped lay the groundwork for modern individualism, where personal freedom, choice, and subjective experience became more central, sometimes at the expense of communal obligations and the classical notion of virtue. Happiness became seen as something tied to personal satisfaction and self-realization rather than moral duty.

2. Rise of Secularism:  As secularism grew in the 19th and 20th centuries, the moral framework provided by religion, which traditionally emphasized virtue, began to lose its centrality in many parts of the Western world. With the decline of religious authority, new ethical frameworks began to emerge that focused more on individual well-being, fulfillment, and rights without always connecting those to broader communal responsibilities or virtue.

• Impact: Secularism contributed to the decoupling of happiness from traditional religious or communal virtues. Without a guiding religious or philosophical framework that emphasized the importance of virtue for societal good, happiness became increasingly associated with personal desires and preferences.

3. Romanticism and Emotionalism:  In the 19th century, the Romantic movement emerged in reaction to the Enlightenment’s emphasis on reason. Romanticism placed greater importance on emotions, individual expression, and personal fulfillment. Thinkers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and poets like William Wordsworth promoted the idea that true fulfillment comes from emotional experiences, authenticity, and connection to nature.

• Impact: This movement contributed to the shift in how happiness was perceived, placing more value on personal emotions and subjective experiences as key to living a meaningful life. Virtue, in the classical sense, became less important as the focus shifted to the individual’s inner world and personal emotional satisfaction.

4. Industrialization and Consumerism:  The Industrial Revolution in the 19th century brought about massive social and economic changes. As consumer culture took hold in the 20th century, especially in the post-World War II era, the idea of happiness became increasingly tied to material goods and personal consumption. Advertisements, mass media, and entertainment industries promoted the idea that personal happiness could be achieved through the acquisition of products, wealth, and status.

• Impact: The rise of consumerism shifted society’s focus from communal well-being and virtuous living to individual satisfaction and material success. Happiness became associated with personal pleasure, wealth, and the freedom to consume, further eroding the classical view of happiness as a product of virtuous living in service to others and the community.

5. Psychological and Therapeutic Turn:   In the 20th century, psychology and the rise of therapy-oriented culture contributed to the view of happiness as a psychological state of well-being. Influential figures like Sigmund Freud and later Abraham Maslow emphasized the individual’s need for self-actualization and the fulfillment of personal desires and inner drives. The rise of humanistic psychology focused on personal growth, emotional fulfillment, and mental well-being.

• Impact: This therapeutic turn placed further emphasis on the individual’s subjective experience of happiness, defining it in terms of personal psychological well-being rather than a life lived in accordance with virtue. It also reinforced the idea that happiness could be pursued and measured based on emotional states and personal fulfillment.

6. Postmodernism and Moral Relativism:  Postmodernism, which gained traction in the mid-20th century, questioned absolute truths, including those related to virtue, ethics, and morality. With moral relativism came the idea that each individual could determine their own values and what constitutes a good or happy life. The belief in universal moral principles, like virtue, began to fade in many circles, replaced by a “do what makes you happy” mindset.

• Impact: Postmodernism’s focus on subjective truth and individual experience further shifted the understanding of happiness from a shared communal ideal of virtue to a highly individualized and relativistic pursuit of personal satisfaction, where each person defines their own version of happiness.

7. Technological and Digital Influence:  In recent decades, technology and social media have accelerated this trend toward personal happiness as an individualized experience. Platforms like Instagram and Facebook promote curated versions of “the good life,” often tied to material success, travel, relationships, and personal aesthetics. Social validation, through likes and followers, increasingly drives people’s perception of happiness as something to be displayed and performed rather than lived through virtuous engagement with the world.

• Impact: The rise of digital culture reinforces the idea that happiness is about personal feelings, image, and instant gratification, often detached from broader social or moral considerations.

Conclusion: From Virtue to Individual Happiness:  The shift from virtue to personal happiness is the result of philosophical, economic, and cultural changes over several centuries. While the founding ideals of the Declaration of Independence emphasized happiness as closely tied to virtue and communal well-being, modern interpretations have become more individualistic, focusing on personal fulfillment and emotional satisfaction. This transition reflects the broader evolution of Western thought, from a communal, virtue-based understanding of life to one centered on individual rights, consumerism, and subjective well-being.

Truth quotes (94 so far). What do you stand for?

The fight against truth decay is not new.  It goes back thousands of years.  And it’s accelerating. If the truth set’s you free, what do untruths do?  What are some self-evident truths? 

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The Declaration of Independence.

“Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion” Edward Abby

“Every violation of truth is not only a sort of suicide in the liar, but is a stab at the health of human society." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Life is an unfoldment, and the further we travel the more truth we can comprehend." Hypatia of Alexandria, lived circa 400 CE in Alexandria, Egypt

"There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting." -- Buddha

“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.” James Reeves

“A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good just because it’s accepted by a majority.” Author Unknown

"We Americans are the ultimate innocents. We are forever desperate to believe that this time the government is telling us the truth." - Sydney Schanberg

“Say not, 'I have found the truth,' but rather, 'I have found a truth.' “ Khalil Gibran - The Prophet

"Truth: the deadliest weapon ever discovered by humanity. Capable of destroying entire perceptual sets, cultures, and realities. Outlawed by all governments everywhere. Possession is normally punishable by death." - John Gilmore (1935- ) Author

“You can sway a thousand men by appealing to their prejudices quicker than you can convince one man by logic.” Robert A. Heinlein, Revolt in 2100/Methuselah's Children

"Be aware of this truth that the people on this earth could be joyous, if only they would live rationally and if they would contribute mutually to each others' welfare." Kurt Vonnegut

“Better a cruel truth than a comfortable delusion.” Edward Abbey

"Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people."- Spencer Johnson

"The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can ever help rebelling against. Who are the people that make up the biggest proportion of the population -- the intelligent ones or the fools? I think we can agree it's the fools, no matter where you go in this world, it's the fools that form the overwhelming majority." -- Henrik Ibsen   (1828-1906) Norwegian playwright, theatre director, and poet

“The masses have never thirsted after truth.” - Gustave Le Bon

“The masses have never thirsted after truth. They turn aside from evidence that is not to their taste, preferring to deify error, if error seduce them. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim.” - Gustave Le Bon

“Every violation of truth is not only a sort of suicide in the liar, but is a stab at the health of human society.”  – Ralph Waldo Emerson, Prudence [1841]

"It is easier to find a score of men wise enough to discover the truth than to find one intrepid enough, in the face of opposition to stand up for it":  A. Hodge

"You know, the very powerful and the very stupid have one thing in common, they don't alter their views to fit the facts, they alter the facts to fit their views" - Doctor Who

"It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings. ... Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things, which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it. Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. ... Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!" -- Patrick Henry  (1736-1799) US Founding Father.  Source: "The War Inevitable" speech to the Virginia Convention, March 23, 1775

"The least initial deviation from the truth is multiplied later a thousandfold." Aristotle.  He was expressing the idea that even a small mistake or error in the beginning can lead to much larger consequences down the road. In other words, when we start with an incorrect assumption or premise, our reasoning and decision-making will be flawed from the outset. As we continue to build on that faulty foundation, the errors will accumulate and multiply, leading to increasingly incorrect conclusions, ineffective actions, and increasing dysfunctional systems and structures. Aristotle was emphasizing the importance of starting with a strong foundation of truth and accuracy in our thinking and reasoning. By doing so, we can avoid the compounding effects of errors and ensure that our actions and decisions are based on sound principles and reasoning.

"There is no man so friendless but what he can find a friend sincere enough to tell him disagreeable truths."  Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton, the famous 19th century English novelist, poet, and politician.  He believed that no matter how alone or friendless a person may feel, there is always someone who cares enough about them to tell them the truth, even if it is something they do not want to hear. A sincere friend will not hesitate to point out someone's flaws or mistakes, even if it is uncomfortable or awkward to do so. In essence, he emphasized the importance of having genuine and honest relationships with people who are willing to tell the truth, no matter how difficult it may be. It also suggests that true friendship is not about always agreeing with each other, but rather about supporting and helping each other to become better people.

"There are in fact four very significant stumbling blocks in the way of grasping the truth, which hinder every man however learned, and scarcely allow anyone to win a clear title to wisdom, namely, the example of weak and unworthy authority, longstanding custom, the feeling of the ignorant crowd, and the hiding of our own ignorance while making a display of our apparent knowledge."  -- Roger Bacon   (1220-1292)  Source: Opus Majus, 1266-67

"Nothing is as terrible to see as ignorance in action."   -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe    (1749-1832) German writer, statesman   Source: engraved on a plaque at the Naval War College

“Integrity is an accurate reflection in word and deed of whatever one's highest conscience dictates as right. Wisdom is whatever one's highest conscience dictates as truth.”  – Leonard E. Read

“Though all the winds of the doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field, we do injuriously, by licensing and prohibiting, to misdoubt her strength. Let her and Falsehood grapple; who ever knew Truth put to the worse, in a free and open encounter?”  – John Milton, Areopagatica [1644]

"The search for the truth is the noblest occupation of man; its publication is a duty." - Anne Louise Germaine de Stael (1766-1817) French author

"The history of our race, and each individual's experience, are sown thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal": Mark Twain (1835 - 1910), Advice to Youth

“It may not always be easy, convenient, or politically correct to stand for truth and right, but it is the right thing to do. Always.”   – M. Russell Ballard

"Truth is not determined by majority vote": Doug Gwyn

“A responsibility of every American citizen to each other is to preserve and protect our freedom by recognizing what truth is and is not.”  Rex Tillerson. Former Secretary of State, at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington,VA May 2018

"Truth never tranquilizes. The defining property of truth is its ability to disturb.

Jesus only told half the story.   The truth 'will' set you free.  But, first it's going to piss you off."  -- Solomon Short  fictional character of David Gerrold

"Truth: the most deadly weapon ever discovered by humanity.  Capable of destroying entire perceptual sets, cultures, and realities.  Outlawed by all governments everywhere.  Possession is normally punishable by death."  -- John Gilmore  (1935-2016) American true crime writer, author of Hollywood memoirs, and novelist

“If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us.” - Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark 

“The WORLD is not sufficiently aware of the influence that sophistry exerts over it. When the rule of the stronger was overthrown, sophistry transferred the empire to the more subtle, and it would be hard to say which of these two tyrants has been the more disastrous for mankind. Men have an immoderate love of pleasure, influence, prestige, power—in a word, wealth. And, at the same time, they are driven by a powerful impulse to obtain these things for themselves at the expense of others. But these others, who constitute the public, are impelled no less powerfully to keep what they have acquired, provided that they can and that they know how. Plunder, which plays such an important role in the affairs of the world, has but two instruments: force and fraud, and two impediments courage and knowledge.”  — Frederic Bastiat, Economic Sophisms [1845]

"This is, in theory, still a free country, but our politically correct, censorious times are such that many of us tremble to give vent to perfectly acceptable views for fear of condemnation. Freedom of speech is thereby imperiled, big questions go un-debated, and great lies become accepted, unequivocally as great truths." -- Simon Heffer Source: Daily Mail, 7 June 2000

"I would rather starve and rot and keep the privilege of speaking the truth as I see it, than of holding all the offices that capital has to give from the presidency down."  -- Henry Brooks Adams   (1838-1918) Pulitzer prize-winning historian (1919), great-grandson of John Adams, grandson of John Quincy Adams, and son of US Secretary of State, Charles Adams    Source: The Degradation of the Democratic Dogma, 1919

“Perhaps this is not a new thing!   "I know that most men -- not only those considered clever, but even those who are very clever and capable of understanding most difficult scientific, mathematical, or philosophic, problems — can seldom discern even the simplest and most obvious truth if it be such as obliges them to admit the falsity of conclusions they have formed, perhaps with much difficulty -- conclusions of which they are proud, which they have taught to others, and on which they have built their lives."   -- Leo Nikolaevich Tolstoi  (1828-1910) Russian writer    Source: What is Art? (1896)

"The political spirit is the great force in throwing the love of truth and accurate reasoning into a secondary place."   -- John Viscount Morley   (1838-1923), of Blackburn    Source: On Compromise, 1874

“It may not always be easy, convenient, or politically correct to stand for truth and right, but it is the right thing to do. Always.”   – M. Russell Ballard

"He who dares not offend cannot be honest": Thomas Paine 

 "When a population becomes distracted by trivia, when cultural life is redefined as a perpetual round of entertainments, when serious public conversation becomes a form of baby-talk, when, in short, a people become an audience, and their public business a vaudeville act, then a nation finds itself at risk; culture-death is a clear possibility." - Neil Postman, Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business

Robert Reich - Have We Lost the Common Good? [Video]  In this video, political commentator, author, and former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Robert Reich, points out that most Americans no longer believe that the major institutions of society—government, corporations, banks, charities, and universities—work for them. His challenge to us all is to restore the common good and rebuild trust in the system. (4 min)

“Americans need to recognize that, once their government commences warring, truth will be target number one.”  – James Bovard,   "Endless U.S. Government Lies on the Afghanistan War" [October 2018]

"The time has come for America to hear the truth about this tragic war. In international conflicts, the truth is hard to come by because most nations are deceived about themselves. Rationalizations and the incessant search for scapegoats are the psychological cataracts that blind us to our sins. But the day has passed for superficial patriotism. He who lives with untruth lives in spiritual slavery." - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968), US civil rights leader.

“Today’s politics is the art of forcing our love of truth - and logic - to the back of the bus. And putting your political parties' priorities in first ten rows.” Cw

"I'm not upset that you lied to me, I'm upset that from now on I can't believe you." -  Friedrich Nietzsche

"This is, in theory, still a free country, but our politically correct, censorious times are such that many of us tremble to give vent to perfectly acceptable views for fear of condemnation. Freedom of speech is thereby imperiled, big questions go undebated, and great lies become accepted, unequivocally as great truths."  -- Simon Heffer  (18 July 1960) is an English historian, journalist, author and political commentator.  Source: Daily Mail, 7 June 2000

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it." -  Flannery O'Connor (1925 - 1964)

"An error does not become truth by reason of multiplied propagation, nor does truth become error because nobody sees it": Mohandas Gandhi

"If you're right and you know it, speak your mind. Even if you are a minority of one, the truth is still the truth." Mahatma Gandhi

"It is error alone which needs the support of government. Truth can stand by itself": Thomas Jefferson

"There is but one truth, one set of facts, one reality.  Honest people may differ in their perception or interpretation of it while ruthless, dishonorable people, media, or governments twist, conceal, deny or lie about it to further their own greed and corruption.” - Bob Davies

"One of the hardest things to teach a child is that the truth is more important than the consequences." - O. A. Battista - [Orlando Aloysius Battista] (1917-1995), Canadian-American chemist and author  

"Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be equally outraged by silence": Henri Frederic Amiel:   1880s

"Truth has to be repeated constantly, because Error also is being preached all the time, and not just by a few, but by the multitude.  In the Press and Encyclopaedias, in Schools and Universities, everywhere Error holds sway, feeling happy and comfortable in the knowledge of having Majority on its side."   Goethe German writer, artist, natural scientist and politician (1749–1832)

"It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority.  Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people."  -- Giordano Bruno   [Iordanus Brunus Nolanus] (1548-1600) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, mathematician, poet, astrologer.   Source: The Shadows of Ideas, Paris, 1582

"There is no crime more infamous than the violation of truth. It is apparent that men can be social beings no longer than they believe each other. When speech is employed only as the vehicle of falsehood, every man must disunite himself from others, inhabit his own cave and seek prey only for himself."  -- Dr. Samuel Johnson   (1709-1784) English author, poet, essayist, moralist, literary critic, biographer, editor and lexicographer

“The masses have never thirsted after truth. They turn aside from evidence that is not to their taste, preferring to deify error, if error seduce them. Whoever can supply them with illusions is easily their master; whoever attempts to destroy their illusions is always their victim. An individual in a crowd is a grain of sand amid other grains of sand, which the wind stirs up at will.” Gustave Le Bon   A leading French polymath whose areas of interest included anthropology, psychology, sociology, medicine, invention, and physics. Died in 1931. 

"Honesty demands that we boldly pursue ideas tested by time, defended by reason, validated by experience, and confirmed by revelation. We will only find truth when we place our confidence in it and not in ourselves. We will only learn when we love truth enough to measure all ideas with a measuring rod outside of those things being measured and are willing to discard those ideas we find to be "intolerable," inferior, and useless." -- Everett Piper, President of Oklahoma Wesleyan University  Source: 'Bethlehem, Not Berkeley, Is the Birthplace of Free Speech,' The Christian Post, Apr 27, 2017

“Economics is haunted by more fallacies than any other study known to man. This is no accident. The inherent difficulties of the subject would be great enough in any case, but they are multiplied a thousandfold by a factor that is insignificant in, say, physics, mathematics or medicine — the special pleading of selfish interests”. – Henry Hazlitt, Economics In One Lesson [1946]

"The main thing is to have a soul that loves the truth and harbours it where he finds it. And another thing: truth requires constant repetition, because error is being preached about us all the time, and not only by isolated individuals but by the masses. In the newspapers and encyclopedias, in schools and universities, everywhere error rides high and basks in the consciousness of having the majority on its side."   ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) German writer and statesman

"Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth."  -- Albert Einstein

"All truth is true even if no one believes it, and all falsehood is false even if everyone believes it.  Truth is true and that's just the end of it."  Os Guinness

“The first and last thing required of genius is the love of truth.”  – Goethe. German writer, artist, natural scientist and politician (1749–1832)

“They deem him their worst enemy, who tells them the truth” - Plato, The Republic, c. 380 BC

"The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it." -  Flannery O'Connor (1925 - 1964)

"To love truth for truth's sake is the principal part of human perfection in this world, and the seed-plot of all other virtues."  -- John Locke  (1632-1704) English philosopher and political theorist. Considered the ideological progenitor of the American Revolution and who, by far, was the most often non-biblical writer quoted by the Founding Fathers of the USA.

"It's not a matter of what is true that counts but a matter of what is perceived to be true." -  Henry Kissinger

 "To die for an idea; it is unquestionably noble. But how much nobler it would be if men died for ideas that were true." -   H L Mencken, 1919 

"Truth is not determined by majority vote."  Doug Gwyn 

 "The history of our race, and each individual's experience, are sown thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal": Mark Twain (1835 - 1910), Advice to Youth

"Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened." -  Winston S. Churchill

"Never be afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and compassion against injustice and lying and greed. If people all over the world...would do this, it would change the earth." -  William Faulkner

"A thing is not necessarily true because a man dies for it." -  Oscar Wilde

"The time has come for America to hear the truth about this tragic war. In international conflicts, the truth is hard to come by because most nations are deceived about themselves. Rationalizations and the incessant search for scapegoats are the psychological cataracts that blind us to our sins. But the day has passed for superficial patriotism. He who lives with untruth lives in spiritual slavery." - Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968), US civil rights leader.  MLK

"The first war crime committed in any war of aggression by the aggressors is against the truth" -  Michael Parenti    

"The truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear."  -  Herbert Sebastien Agar  

"A society committed to the search for truth must give protection to, and set a high value upon, the independent and original mind, however angular, however rasping, however, socially unpleasant it may be; for it is upon such minds in large measure, that the effective search for truth depends."  -- Caryl Parker Haskins  (1908-2001) Scientist, author, inventor, philanthropist, governmental advisor and pioneering entomologist in the study of ant biology.   Source: New York Times, 9 December 1963

"When telling someone the truth, make them laugh or they will kill you" ~ Oscar Wilde

"The truth that makes men free is for the most part the truth which men prefer not to hear."  -  Herbert Sebastien Agar  

"Republics are created by the virtue, public spirit, and intelligence of the citizens. They fall, when the wise are banished from the public councils, because they dare to be honest, and the profligate are rewarded, because they flatter the people, in order to betray them." -- Justice Joseph Story : (1779-1845) US Supreme Court Justice 1833

"I shall not bear ill will toward anyone. - I shall not submit to injustice from anyone. - I shall conquer untruth by truth. And in resisting untruth, I shall put up with all suffering." -  Mahatma Gandhi

“I am for truth, no matter who tells it.” -Malcolm X

“Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” - Ron Paul

"In a free society, we are supposed to know the truth," -  "In a society where truth becomes treason, we are in big trouble." Rep. Ron Paul (R) of Texas

“The men that American people admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest the most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.” -- H L Mencken (attributed: source unknown)

“The way to right wrongs is to turn the light of truth upon them”  Ida B. Wells

“We make ourselves real by telling the truth. Man can hardly forget that he needs to know the truth, for the instinct to know is too strong in us to be destroyed. But he can forget how badly he also needs to tell the truth. We cannot know truth unless we ourselves are conformed to it. We must be true inside, true to ourselves, before we can know a truth that is outside us. But we make ourselves true by manifesting the truth as we see it”.  – Thomas Merton, From No Man Is an Island [1955]

"The real searcher after truth will not receive the old because it is old, or reject the new because it is new. He will not believe men because they are dead, or contradict them because they are alive.

With him an utterance is worth the truth, the reason it contains, without the slightest regard to the author.   He may have been a king or serf -- a philosopher or servant, — but the utterance neither gains nor loses in truth or reason.  Its value is absolutely independent of the fame or station  of the man who gave it to the world."  -- Robert G. Ingersoll    (1833-1899) American lawyer, Civil War veteran, political leader, orator of United States during the Golden Age of Free Thought, nicknamed "The Great Agnostic"

“The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth becomes the greatest enemy of the State.”  – Joseph Goebbels

I stand for the truth.  What do you stand for? 

FEMA $ shortages caused by our political polarization. And lack of wisdom.

 

Without adequate investments in the prevention of the fundamental drivers of illegal immigration, extreme weather patterns, violent extremists, and domestic public health trends (gun violence, loneliness, obesity, drug related deaths...)  our nation's debt bomb will break our nation's capacity for recovering from an inevitable economic collapse regardless of who is elected in November.   

And it will be the wisdom deficit of "We the People" that allowed all this to happen.    Blame ChatGPT for any AI errors below. 

Congress has repeatedly faced debates over funding for FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) over the years, with numerous instances of proposed cuts or restrictions to its funding. Since the early 2000s, Congress has frequently had to replenish FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) when it was depleted by large-scale disasters like hurricanes and wildfires. The process has often involved emergency supplemental appropriations to maintain FEMA’s operations, particularly after the 2011 Budget Control Act, which introduced discretionary budget caps but allowed adjustments for disaster relief.

 

In recent years, funding shortfalls have led FEMA to implement “immediate needs funding” restrictions, limiting spending to life-saving activities during emergencies. For instance, in 2023, FEMA imposed such restrictions after its disaster funds were strained by hurricanes and wildfires, compelling Congress to consider supplemental funding requests from the President. Congress has debated FEMA funding issues multiple times, with temporary restrictions on disaster relief activities occurring at least eight times since 2001, including after Hurricane Harvey in 2017.

 

In 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) allocated $300 million specifically to aid communities supporting migrants through FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program. This funding was directed toward temporary shelter and other essential services for migrants while they await immigration proceedings. This allocation continued a trend from previous years; in 2023, for instance, the DHS also provided over $780 million in similar funding through various humanitarian aid programs.

 

The use of FEMA funds to support migrant aid is part of broader humanitarian assistance efforts. However, there is ongoing debate about how these allocations impact FEMA’s ability to respond to domestic disasters. FEMA’s budget is frequently scrutinized, especially as the agency is increasingly involved in non-traditional disaster relief efforts.