Enduring Values
Combating the negativity in our culture with uplifting, inspiring stories reminding us of the best American principlesAs the great political philosophers from Plato and Aristotle to America’s own Founding Fathers have observed, democracy very quickly turns to tyranny when the people are not generally virtuous. To defend our system of ordered liberty, we must always be vigilant, and we must always strive to strengthen our culture, or our free society will be overtaken by government.
(At left) George Washington at prayer.
Just “keeping People aware of Others in the Town … ”
While working as a lawyer in the Illinois prairies in 1845, Abraham Lincoln dabbled around with a revolutionary communications idea: He filed a patent for a system called “The Gazette” which would “keep People aware of Others in the Town.’” A central repository in town would house a collection of pages where everyone could “discuss his Family, his Work, and his Various Endeavors,”—you know, like “witnessing a gunfight at the old boarding house while enjoying a bowl of soup.” Unreal!
Lincoln respected privacy: “each Man may decide if he shall make his page Available to the entire Town, or only to those with whom he has established Family or Friendship.”
But Lincoln was a man ahead of his time: The patent was denied.
Read more from James Poulos at Forbes (one page/534 words).
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