The Wisdom Letter #281

5 quotes from Hiram Johnson, Thomas Carlyle, and more.

✹ For today’s edition of Wisdom Letter, we have carefully curated five bite-sized quotes from brilliant thinkers such as Hiram Johnson and Thomas Carlyle, each paired with a philosophical question designed to provoke deep reflection.

Quote № 01:

“The first casualty when war comes is truth.”

— Hiram Johnson (1866–1945)

~ Follow-up Question:

In what ways does the manipulation or suppression of information during times of conflict reflect broader tensions between state power and the individual's right to truth, and how does this dynamic influence the ethical responsibilities of journalists and historians?

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Quote № 02:

“That there should one Man die ignorant who had capacity for Knowledge, this I call a tragedy.”

— Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881)

~ Follow-up Question:

What does it reveal about the human condition that intellectual potential can remain unrealized due to social, economic, or structural barriers, and how should societies ethically respond to the systemic denial of educational opportunity?

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Quote № 03:

“The idea of motherland is not a false idea, but it is a little idea, and one which must remain little. There is only one common good. There is only one moral duty, only one truth, and every man is the shining recipient and guardian of it. The present understanding of the idea of motherland divides all these great ideas, cuts them into pieces, specializes them within impenetrable circles. We meet as many national truths as we do nations, and as many national duties, and as many national interests and rights — and they are antagonistic to each other.”

— Henri Barbusse (1873–1935)

~ Follow-up Question:

Can loyalty to a nation coexist with a commitment to universal moral truths, or does the elevation of national identity inevitably compromise the pursuit of a shared human ethic that transcends borders?

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Quote № 04:

“The most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly castes, military juntas, party dictatorships, or modern corporations.”

— Noam Chomsky (1928)

~ Follow-up Question:

Can the modern corporation, with its immense influence and minimal public oversight, be considered a continuation of historical forms of authoritarianism, and how does this reframe our understanding of economic power in relation to democratic ideals?

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Quote № 05:

“One thing I am convinced more and more is true and that is this: the only way to be truly happy is to make others happy. When you realize that and take advantage of the fact, everything is made perfect.”

— William Carlos Williams (1883–1963)

~ Follow-up Question:

Is the pursuit of happiness through the happiness of others an inherently altruistic act, or does it subtly reflect a form of enlightened self-interest, and how does this distinction affect the moral evaluation of such behavior?

✽ Thank you for reading today’s Wisdom Letter.

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