The Power of an Idea
Throughout history, enlightened leaders and intellectuals such as Aristotle, Marcus Aurelius, Henry David Thoreau, Mohandas K. Gandhi, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, and thousands more, have inspired followers to seek an ideal, a way of living in the world that does not seek to manipulate and subjugate but instead, endeavors to empower and uplift the human spirit in the spirit of community. Ultimately we are but one world, one global community, one race, living on one planet. As bigotry, racism, and anti-intellectualism continue to suppress the creative diversity of our beautiful, multicultural humanity, how should we respond? Education is the vehicle to transform and evolution of the mind. The overt and violent suppression of free and critical thinking by authoritarians shows the very power of an educated and free society. Banning books and shamelessly rewriting history are existential threats to democracy itself, and we must all awaken to the dangers of this moment. Education elevates us, allows us to recognize disinformation, and see through systemic and deliberate efforts to promote false narratives that erase the truth of human civilization. Education empowers young people with the tools to see the world with open eyes, awake, conscious, curious, filled with love and hope.
I am a writer, an artist, and an intellectual activist. There are countless speeches and writings that represent the highest levels of human thought, more extraordinary than anything I could ever say myself. With a humble heart, I would like to use this blog to promote the words of others as well as my own thoughts. Perhaps I can create a space where individuals can learn some of the greatness that humanity has shown us. While quotes are short passages of longer writings and speeches, they can allow us to embody and imagine thought-provoking commentary on how the world could be, if we dare to elevate communicative discourse and learn from the greatest minds in human history. As stated by Abraham Lincoln, let us seek “the better angels of our nature” and endeavor to rise above the vitriol, bullying, and violent behavior that have become endemic in our societies. Let us educate ourselves and each other on the potential of the highest ideals of morality and consciousness that humanity can achieve, so we may uplift each other on the journey toward a more compassionate, fair, loving, and equitable world.
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“We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us even in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavour. It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden
