Foster Friess : Networking for Private Sector Solutions

Clarence Thomas; "Real freedom meant independence from government intrusion [and taking] responsibility for your own decisions"

In his awe-inspiring autobiography, “My Grandfather’s Son,” Clarence Thomas describes a point during his term at Harvard Law when he realized that “real freedom meant independence from government intrusion, which in turn meant that you had to take responsibility for your own decisions.” A movement towards taking greater individual responsibility has been dubbed “Element R” by Denver Post columnist and Claremont Institute fellow, John Andrews. In this articles he writes that as we each deny self pity we realize that “in this spirit America was birthed, her wrongs righted.” MORE.

garry
August 9, 2009
Its great to realise that in principle nothing need stand in the way of achieving personal ambitions in any reasonably Capitalistic, free and democratic society. On the other hand some people are held back by the scale of their personal suffering in youth, that they cannot summon the necessary drive and resolution to achieve what the world counts as success - short of a dynamic religious conversion or long therapy.
So although we should avoid self-pity, we should recognise a need for self-compassion -"Love thy neighbour as thyself", implies that there is sometimes a place for self-love, self-understanding and self-compassion.

 

Comment on this article
Forward this article to a friend