Know Thyself through HISTORY:
According to the US Department of the interior’s National Park Service, at the Constitutional Convention on September 17th, 1787, Benjamin Franklin wrote a speech directed to President Washington, but whose purpose was to convince the three delegates who had announced their refusal to sign the Constitution to abandon their opposition. Too ill at 81 to read it himself, it was delegated that James Wilson the delegate from PA to read (a signer of the Declaration of Independence and a future Supreme Court Justice):
“I confess that there are several parts of this Constitution which I do not at present approve, but I am not sure I shall never approve them. For having lived long, I have experienced many instances of being obliged by better information, or fuller consideration, to change opinions even on important subjects, which I once thought right, but found to be otherwise….”
I believe it takes a strong person to be open to changing their minds. Why do we pick sides and then die? The ability to change an opinion, to me, shows courage, not weakness. I believe weakness is digging in, plugging your ears, and sticking your head in the sand. Benjamin Franklin is truly an amazing human being, one we should pay more homage to. Not only is he humble enough to admit that, if given ‘better information’ and the ability to give the matter ‘fuller consideration’ he could absolutely change his stance on ‘important subjects’. Imagine if our civil servant representatives thought like this.
Further, according to Psypost.org:
“Research on metacognition has provided robust evidence that changes of mind tend to improve choice outcomes. So why are people so reluctant to change their minds? There are at least two possible reasons. First, deciding to change your mind is typically a result of making extra cognitive effort to analyze the quality of the initial choices. Not every decision requires that effort.”
AKA we are lazy…
“Second, frequent changes of mind may signal personality traits that are not socially desirable. Meaningful and fulfilling interpersonal relationships rely on the ability to predict and rely on another person’s actions.
Erratic and frequent changes of mind could negatively impact relationships and people may avoid doing this to improve their social integration.”
AKA we are insecure and would rather fit in than be correct. Sounds scary and accurate.
Not meaning to depress you more, but not only was Benjamin Franklin brilliant, ahead of his time, and never to be duplicated, he could also predict the future:
“In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution, with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a General Government necessary for us, and there is no form of government, but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered; and believe further, that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic government.”
Per Wikipedia the entry for Despotism begins: “In political science, despotism is a form of government in which a single entity rules with absolute power. Normally, that entity is an individual, the despot (as in an autocracy), but societies which limit respect and power to specific groups have also been called despotic.”
Eeeeesh. What do YOU think Ben would think of the state of our republic today?
Last Updated on 03/16/2026 by Death of Hypatia Inc.
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