life is of no value but as it brings gratifications. among the most valuable of these is rational society. it informs the mind, sweetens the temper, chears our spirits, and promotes health.
Interpretation
Life gains its value through the fulfillment and joys it provides, particularly within a rational society.
In this quote, Thomas Jefferson emphasizes that the value of life is derived not just from experiences, but particularly from the gratifications that come from living in a rational and civilized society. He believes that such a society enriches our intellect, enhances our moods, and contributes positively to our overall well-being, suggesting that the collective benefits of rational interaction are among the most significant aspects of a fulfilling life.
In practice
This quote could be used in a discussion about the importance of community values during a keynote speech.
The firmness with which the (American) people have withstood the... abuses of the press, the discernment they have manifested between truth and falsehood, show that they may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false and to form a correct judgment between them.
I, place economy among the first & most important republican virtues, & public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared
βWe must make our choice between economy and liberty or confusion and servitude...If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and comforts, in our labor and in our amusements...if we can prevent the government from wasting the labor of the people, under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy.
Very many and very meritorious were the worthy patriots who assisted in bringing back our government to its republican tack. To preserve it in that, will require unremitting vigilance.
A nation, as a society, forms a moral person, and every member of it is personally responsible for his society.
Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.
Who would then deny that when I am sipping tea in my tearoom I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space?
You've got to learn to accept the law of life, and face the fact that we disintegrate slowly.
There is a gulf fixed between those who can sleep and those who cannot. It is one of the greatest divisions of the human race.
The angel personifies something new arising from the deep unconscious.
Isolation is a way to know ourselves.
The stronger the ties that bind us to God, the more likely we are to live, react, and behave in harmony with...greater joy, peace, and happiness.
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