Where are all the truly gifted and Great ones today ?

[727Sky]

WHAT A LIFE—SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

Thomas Jefferson
His portrait is on the $2.00 Dollar Bill.
 
This is amazing. There are two parts to this.
Be sure to read the 2nd part (in RED ).
 
Thomas Jefferson was a very remarkable man who started   learning very early in life and never stopped.
 
At 5, began studying under his cousin's tutor.
At 9, studied Latin, Greek and French.
At 14, studied classical literature and additional languages.
 
At 16, entered the College of William and Mary. 
Also could write in Greek with one hand, while writing the same in Latin with the other.
 
At 19, studied Law for 5 years starting under George Wythe.
 
At 23, started his own law practice.
 
At 25, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.
 
At 31, wrote the widely circulated "Summary View of the Rights of British America," and retired from his law practice.
At 32, was a delegate to the Second Continental Congress.
 
At 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence.
 
At 33, took three years to revise Virginia's legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for Religious Freedom.
 
At 36, was elected the second Governor of Virginia, succeeding Patrick Henry.
 
At 40, served in Congress for two years.
 
At 41, was the American minister to France and negotiated commercial treaties with European nations   along with Ben Franklin and John Adams.
 
At 46, served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington.
 
At 53, served as Vice President and was elected President of the American Philosophical Society.
 
At 55, drafted the Kentucky Resolutions and became the active head of the Republican Party.
 
At 57, was elected the third president of the United States.
At 60, obtained the Louisiana Purchase, doubling the nation's size.
 
At 61, was elected to a second term as President.
 
At 65, retired to Monticello.
 
At 80, helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine.
 
At 81, almost single-handedly, created the University of Virginia and served as it's first 
president.
 
At 83, died on the 50th Anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, along with John Adams.
 
Thomas Jefferson knew because he himself studied, the previous failed attempts at government. He understood actual history, the nature of God, His laws and the nature of man. That happens to be way more than what most understand today.
 
Jefferson really knew his stuff...
 
A voice from the past to lead us in the future:
 
John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the White House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement:
"This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House, with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone."
 
"When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe ."   -- Thomas Jefferson
 
"The democracy will cease to exist when you take   away from those   who are willing to work and give to those who would not."    -- Thomas Jefferson
 
"It is incumbent on every generation    to pay its  own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on, would save one-half the wars of the world."    -- Thomas Jefferson
 
"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people, under the pretense of taking care of them."   -- Thomas Jefferson
 
"My reading of history convinces me that most bad government   results from too much government."   --   Thomas Jefferson
 
"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms."   -- Thomas Jefferson
 
"The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms   is,   as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government."    -- Thomas Jefferson
 
"The tree of liberty must    be refreshed from time to time  with the blood of patriots and tyrants."   -- Thomas Jefferson
 
"To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes, the propagation of ideas which he   disbelieves   and abhors, is  sinful and   tyrannical."    -- Thomas Jefferson
 

[Captain Chaos]

According to Lovecraft there's a Great Old One on sunken R'lyeh, dead but dreaming.  
That is not dead which can eternal lie. And with strange aeons even death may die.

[Mystic Wanderer]

"The tree of liberty must    be refreshed from time to time  with the blood of patriots and tyrants."  

Seems we've reached that time again.

I thought this would be well after my death, but alas, I'm living through it as we speak.  

[beez]

Innovation, creativity, independent thought, leadership is frowned upon now.

Conformity, obeying, is whats taught now.  It's what's rewarded now.

[BIAD]

Conformity, obeying, is whats taught now.  It's what's rewarded now.

The essence of the weak, the directive that's -at least, three generations deep now. Maybe more.

[beez]

Conformity, obeying, is whats taught now.  It's what's rewarded now.

The essence of the weak, the directive that's -at least, three generations deep now. Maybe more.

Very well stated.

[BIAD]

Conformity, obeying, is whats taught now.  It's what's rewarded now.

The essence of the weak, the directive that's -at least, three generations deep now. Maybe more.

Very well stated.

It's just that I know from experience that many around me -younger folk, became different and seemed to
enjoy being under subjugation. It's have if the idea of fighting back could result in losing and that outcome
would damage them so much, it's easier to accept defeat at the beginning.

They've been mentally trained not to see that failure is part of character-building. Here, the old people used
to say: 'Shy bairns get nowt', a comment on how hesitant children can lose out if they don't try.
The only way to learn how to stay upright is to fall from time-to-time.

[beez]

Conformity, obeying, is whats taught now.  It's what's rewarded now.

The essence of the weak, the directive that's -at least, three generations deep now. Maybe more.

Very well stated.

It's just that I know from experience that many around me -younger folk, became different and seemed to
enjoy being under subjugation. It's have if the idea of fighting back could result in losing and that outcome
would damage them so much, it's easier to accept defeat at the beginning.

They've been mentally trained not to see that failure is part of character-building. Here, the old people used
to say: 'Shy bairns get nowt', a comment on how hesitant children can lose out if they don't try.
The only way to learn how to stay upright is to fall from time-to-time.

The true test of a persons character is not how many times they fail, it's how many times they stand up afterwards.

[NightskyeB4Dawn]

I think that there are still some great ones out there, it is just that they are too smart to step forward and put their heads on the chopping block.

And to what purpose? We are so controlled by the media and the internet, that all it would take is a poorly made CGI video, and a couple of players or antagonist, and they would be drawn and quartered. Few bother to think for themselves anymore. If it is all over the internet and someone you know is regurgitating it, then it is gospel; even if it makes no sense what so ever.

The peanut gallery is so well filled with with crowds of angry malcontents and those willing to play the part of Barabbas, that Jesus would not stand a chance, even today.

We want the best but we aren't willing to let go of the brass ring and get off the carousel. The best are too intelligent to sacrifice themselves for a citizenry that would throw them under the bus on command.

Just how I see it.

[BIAD]

I think that there are still some great ones out there, it is just that they are too smart to step forward and put their heads on the chopping block.

And to what purpose? We are so controlled by the media and the internet, that all it would take is a poorly made CGI video, and a couple of players or antagonist, and they would be drawn and quartered. Few bother to think for themselves anymore. If it is all over the internet and someone you know is regurgitating it, then it is gospel; even if it makes no sense what so ever.

The peanut gallery is so well filled with with crowds of angry malcontents and those willing to play the part of Barabbas, that Jesus would not stand a chance, even today.

We want the best but we aren't willing to let go of the brass ring and get off the carousel. The best are too intelligent to sacrifice themselves for a citizenry that would throw them under the bus on command.

Just how I see it.

I think you nailed it, NSKy and a belated welcome. (I saw on BIAD's list that your 'avatar suggestion' is next up!)

[guohua]

I think that there are still some great ones out there, it is just that they are too smart to step forward and put their heads on the chopping block.

And to what purpose? We are so controlled by the media and the internet, that all it would take is a poorly made CGI video, and a couple of players or antagonist, and they would be drawn and quartered. Few bother to think for themselves anymore. If it is all over the internet and someone you know is regurgitating it, then it is gospel; even if it makes no sense what so ever.

The peanut gallery is so well filled with with crowds of angry malcontents and those willing to play the part of Barabbas, that Jesus would not stand a chance, even today.

We want the best but we aren't willing to let go of the brass ring and get off the carousel. The best are too intelligent to sacrifice themselves for a citizenry that would throw them under the bus on command.

Just how I see it.

I think you nailed it, NSKy and a belated welcome. (I saw on BIAD's list that your 'avatar suggestion' is next up!)

Yes, I agree