Perhaps the worst criticism one might impart is that a certain person or group of people have no principles. Therefore I will not imply this in this discussion. But we must accurately know our principles, and if we chose to instead follow another, without much thought, we must identify their inherent principles, or lack thereof. It seems rather straightforward. In a democracy we choose our principles freely, this we must always remember. I think that we can all agree that principles matter, regardless of our ideology, unless we are anarchistic, or only renegades. I’ll start here.
“The principles now implanted in thy bosom will grow, and one day reach maturity; and in that maturity thou wilt find thy heaven or thy hell.”
— Thomas.
THOMAS, DAVID, born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, 1776 ; a celebrated American pomologist, florist, and writer on agriculture; died, 1859.
“Many men do not allow their principles to take root, but pull them up every now and then , as children do the flowers they have planted, to see if they are growing.”
— Longfellow.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24, 1882) was an American poet and educator. His original works include "Paul Revere's Ride", The Song of Hiawatha, and Evangeline. He was the first American to completely translate Dante Alighieri's Divine Comedy and was one of the fireside poets from New England.
Always vote for a principle, though you vote alone, and you may cherish the sweet reflection that your vote is never lost.
— John Quincy Adams.
John Quincy Adams (July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848) was an American politician, diplomat, lawyer, and diarist who served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825 to 1829.
I agree with the conservative that brought on this work that jargon is sand in the gears of public discourse. But we must know what is actual jargon, and what is more than jargon.
“Words may be either servants or masters. If the former they may safely guide us in the way of truth. - If the latter they in toxicate the brain and lead into swamps of thought where there is no solid footing.”
— Anonymous
“Among the sources of those innumerable calamities which from age to age have overwhelmed mankind , may be reckoned as one of the principal, the abuse of words.”
— George Horne
George Horne (1 November 1730 – 17 January 1792) was an English churchman, academic, writer, and university administrator.
Upon the comment of buzzwords, talking points, otherwise jargon, I must agree with the following quote.
“Ours is the age of substitutes: Instead of language we have jargon; instead of principles, slogans; and instead of genuine ideas, bright suggestions.”
— Eric Bentley
Eric Russell Bentley (September 14, 1916 – August 5, 2020) was a British-born American theater critic, playwright, singer, editor, and translator.
We must however be able to differentiate between legitimate principles based upon science, law, social science, etc., and of empty jargon. Herein is where some of the difficulties lie. Politics can confuse the mind, and one must have curiosity of mind enough to study your own inevitable jargon use (as it is not confined to only one group), and do the same in those with differing views. To rely upon a cable channel or a certain talk show host to help you understand this all is so much potential folly. There are sources of information who are not honest arbitrators, and some who fall into the same non-questioning trap as we may. To not realize your own jargon, and the basis (or if there is none, which seems quite common) for it seems to be a problem. I hope to explore this more myself, I suggest others do the very same thing.
33rd Posting, May 8, 2023