“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of
the past.”
This quote, written by Thomas Jefferson to John Adams in the
summer of 1816, defines what I like most about Jefferson’s goal, reflected
through his gardening—thinking of what is best for the future of his
country. I thought it was
interesting that Jefferson spent so much time “observing, experimenting, and
recording” his work. The book
noted that the foundational motivation for Jefferson’s work was to find the
best varieties of sustainable horticulture that were practical and applicable
to the area’s culture and climate.
It’s obvious that he had the best interests of the United States in mind
as he maintained his garden.
Jefferson described his work best when he said, “One service of this
kind rendered to a nation is worth more to them than all the victories of the
most splendid pages of their history.”
I believe Americans today could learn a lot from Jefferson’s
perspective. Often, we make
decisions because we know they will benefit us either in the present or
immediate future, and we often discredit or completely ignore the possible long
term consequences that our country and its people could face due to our course
of action. I don’t believe this
done with malicious intent; rather, we have grown accustomed to a society that
demands a quick fix and easy solutions.
When thinking about the differences in Jefferson’s attitude
and that of a portion of our country today, I think of several ways in which
this short-sighted perspective manifests itself in our actions. First, it causes a great amount of
social unrest; second, it can lead to financial insecurity; and third, it is
often the root of personal obstacles, setbacks, and difficulties.
First, a shortsighted perception greatly affects the social
wellness of our country. One could
make the argument that, when fostering an attitude of immediate satisfaction,
there is a spiked increase in crime, substance abuse, and unhealthy use of
technology. Though it is difficult
to pinpoint a single cause of these issues, it seems that humans’ desire to satisfy
their own needs is a root cause. I
believe that crime, with the exception of those acts committed by people who
suffer from a mental illness, often occur because people put their immediate
needs above all else, and are willing to take drastic measures to fulfill those
desires. In addition and
similarly, I believe that illegal substance abuse could be a result of people
wanting an immediate escape from the troubles and difficulties of a troubled
and difficult life. A last example
is the increased use of technology, where quick and at-your-fingertips
entertainment and communication has caused a decrease in social interaction.
Second, I believe a lack of foresight is a leading cause of
financial trouble. It seems as
though Americans struggle with being too shortsighted financially at both an individual
and group level. At a national
level, our government seems unable to make financial decisions by balancing
what is in our best interest both in the short run and the long run. This is not a political statement, for
it is an issue with which both major parties in the American political
landscape struggle. On an
individual level, we often make purchasing or investment decisions that affect
both ourselves and our families.
As the adults in our country exemplify these bad habits to our younger
generations, it becomes a long-term issue that impacts our personal lives for
years to come.
Third, short-sightedness causes a multitude of general,
personal issues. Some of these
issues stem from the first two discussed—social and financial unrest, but many
are choices that we as individuals make each day. In an ideal world, we would foster within ourselves the
wisdom to think of the future with each decision we make. I believe that a vast majority of the
stress and issues with which we deal are simply a result of not thinking how
each decision affects our future.
This is applicable in school, relationships, and our health—among many
others areas. We are often not disciplined
enough to make the right decision—even if it stings a little right now.
Our Founding Fathers seemed to be extremely gifted at
maintaining wise perspective. Maybe our status as a “fledging nation” required
each decision to be carefully weighed in terms of our future as a united
people, but it seems that each decision was made out of a dutiful sense of
right and wrong for our country, and not off of public opinion polls that sway
with the times or off what seems right and most fulfilling for the moment. This is one of many lessons we could
learn from this great and historic group of leaders.
The discussion above it best summarized in the quote, “Don’t
trade what you want most for what you want at this moment.” It is so important for us to keep our
futures in mind as we make daily, seemingly simple, decisions.
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