In Walter Isaacson’s book Kissinger he noted that as a young man Henry Kissinger read the newspaper daily but that he never read the opinion pages because he needed to make up his own opinion. In other words he needed to be able to think freely. The ability to analyze information and draw conclusions is critical in learning how to think independently. It is a skill that is liberating and prevents ill informed decision making.
To illustrate the importance of thinking freely Matt Taibbi wrote in Hate Inc. that “People need to start understanding the news not as the news but as just such an individualized consumer experience. Anger just for you. This is not reporting it is a marketing process designed to create rhetorical addictions and shut any non consumerist doors in your mind.” Modern technology allows us to create echo chambers where we only hear the voices we want to hear. An echo chamber stifles independent thought and prevents critical examination of one’s conclusions. One who has never been presented with a dissenting opinion will view it as heresy when first encountered and never pause to contemplate the merits of the dissenting thought. It must be categorically rejected. Individuals falling into this camp will never be able to think freely.
As you watch pundits on TV are they telling you facts or are they telling you how to think? Are you being provided with news or opinions? Have you developed methods or second sources to verify the information you consume? As Thomas Jefferson wrote in a letter to Benjamin Rush “ It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself, to resist invasions of it in the case of others: or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own.”
The ability to think freely prevents a person from falling prey to the manipulative actions of others. If you belong to a political party can you think of 5 things that that party has done that you disagree with? How about 10? Preservation of liberty requires critical thought not blind obedience to the party.
To be able to ingest information and form your own opinions is what makes you sovereign. Think freely and share your thoughts. Rise above petty squabbles that only serve to distract or divide. Don’t passively partake or pander to the purveyors of putrid thoughts. Determine what is of most value to you and pursue it. Think freely and act accordingly and you will be able to proudly proclaim no man is my master.
Thomas Aquinas is credited as one of the greatest proponents of natural law. During his time in Cologne he was taught by Albertus Magnus. Magnus used the teachings of Aristotle in his mentorship of Thomas Aquinas.
Samuel Adams believed in American Independence from Great Britain. He is one of the most well know Son's of Liberty. On August 1, 1776 he gave a speech to the Continental Congress in Philadelphia.
“Lest the land become desolate and the Christian name be destroyed there, we exhort and command the faithful to take up the sign of the cross and bring aid to the Christians established in Livonia.”
Pope Gregory IX
During the time of Alexander Nevsky why were western Catholic powers seen as a greater spiritual threat than the Mongols?
The Golden Horde ruled the principalities of Russia. Noble Russians were still allowed to serve as the princes of the great cities, but they owed their power to the Horde. A tribute system was established and in practice in 1262.
Those who collected the tax were known as the Besermeny. The were usually Muslim merchants or tax farmers working for the Golden Horde. They were foreigners and they were collecting the wealth of the native Russians. This made them hated. Prior to 1262 the Horde conducted a census in Russia to determine exactly what tributes needed to be paid. This had been met with great hostility.
In 1262 the besermeny had great power. The Russian chronicle notes that they “created great violence among the people.” It seems clear that they were willing to abuse their power to accomplish their jobs. In addition to monetary contributions by 1262 the Russian population also had to contribute their men to fight in the wars of the Golden Horde. This further angered the local ...
