Just A Thought
For an Aussie to love American history some may well find that unusual to say the least! Yet I do – so it will come as no surprise to you that the latest book I read was David McCullough’s brilliant biography on John Adams the second President of the USA. It is a masterly work on a truly great human being.
John Adams was a great man by all definitions – a signatory and passionate advocate to the Declaration of Independence, deeply caring and compassionate man, excellent leader, diligent beyond measure and a committed Christ follower. His son John Quincy Adams became the sixth President of the USA.
Most of what we know about John Adams is from the thousands of letters he hand wrote and these letters have been preserved. He wrote to friends and foe alike articulating views, encouraging, putting forth ideas and telling his story.
It seemed as it Adams was able to think deeply about ideas through his writing. He would debate and reason with his correspondents about those ideas.
As I read this voluminous work – loving every single page it dawned on me that the ability to think through deeply about ideas and then be prepared to debate them is now a lost art. Do we think deeply any more? Are we capable of debating ideas as opposed to debating personalities?
Does the busyness of life produce a superficiality of ideas?
Does this produce a ‘herd mentality’ that we follow the loudest voice?
Does this lead to a cloning of ideas as opposed to an originality of thought?
John Adams thought deeply about issues then formed well thought through convictions, which he based his life on. Sometimes this placed him at odds with his friends yet his life was always a conviction based life.
I want to be able to think deeply, think wisely, think intelligently and think astutely. Then, from that depth of thought, be able to reason articulately based on conviction.
Sometimes magazines ask those people that they feature – ‘Who would you invite to dinner if you could?’ I think I would add John Adams to my list – I would welcome the conversation around that table. Just a thought!
