Anti-intellectualism has long been the anti-Semitism of the businessman.
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.Read
In view of the tide of religiosity engulfing a once secular republic it is refreshing to be reminded by Freethinkers that free thought and skepticism are robustly in the American tradition. After all the Founding Fathers began by omitting God from the American Constitution.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of free thought and skepticism in a society increasingly influenced by religiosity.
Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. highlights the tension between growing religious sentiment and the foundational principles of free thought in American society. He reminds us that the United States was established on ideals of skepticism and rational inquiry, as evidenced by the Founding Fathers' choice to not include God in the Constitution, suggesting that a secular approach is integral to the nation's identity.
Themes
Free ThoughtSkepticismReligionSecularismTradition
In practice
Example use cases
In a debate about the role of religion in government, this quote can remind listeners of the secular principles held by the Founding Fathers.
More from Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.
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Science and technology revolutionize our lives, but memory, tradition and myth frame our response.
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The genius of impeachment lay in the fact that it could punish the man without punishing the office.
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Clarity in language depends on clarity in thought.
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Man generally is entangled in insoluble problems; history is consequently a tragedy in which we are all involved, whose keynote is anxiety and frustration, not progress and fulfilment.
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