Sins of the past and future happiness

‘Unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness,” says the Declaration of Independence. What Jefferson was saying is that we should aspire to these rights, unalienable or not at the time, and thereby create a more perfect union of commonality. To get there, we, as a People, had to agree to get over every obstacle that was, then and now, huge. And, further, as time has shown, we have to face and overcome other major obstacles that eventually became too onerous to allow to remain in place; like slavery, inequality of the sexes, religious freedom and, yes, autocracy, be it here or around the world.

How can you get over historical events and laws and morals and move to a new place closer to “Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness?” The Declaration makes this clear: “…Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations… it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.”

Aristotle — well known to Jefferson — the Greek philosopher 2,350 years ago, wrote: “For every type of activity, everything from philosophical inquiry to carpentry, all these things have a goal… We need to know what the ultimate goal is for being a human being: Eudaimonia.” Eudaimonia translates as happiness or welfare or human flourishing, as Aristotle protested the opposite value of “life of cattle, content to graze.” Embedded in the ancient term, and as used by Jefferson (a scholar of Aristotle), is endeavor, reward, welfare and flourishing, but Aristotle strenuously excluded mock virtue and blind belief from his definition. Jefferson would have understood this. And he would have known that making money was, similarly, defined by Aristotle as not providing happiness. Money can buy you things and things can make you momentarily happy, but money in and of itself cannot provide happiness.

Endeavor, reward, welfare and flourishing — these are the attributes attested in the Declaration. But to get to attempt and attain these values, we have had to “throw off” the past, discard that which was and move forward. Time and again, this has been the ethic of America: to discard that which once were our values, values that came before enlightenment, and move forward. Such upheaval is painful at times. The Civil War was a baptism of death and destruction, but a new beginning was forged — a new America that has continued, sometimes too slowly, to emerge past the obstacles and evils of the past.

The Declaration says that “mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable…” and indeed these past few years have been a baptism of patience, frustration and a burning desire for revolt. The words and ethic of the Declaration are more apt today than they have been for a century. We must overcome, fight against, prevail against the evils we see around us and then “provide new Guards for their future security.”

 

Writer Peter Riva, a former resident of Amenia Union, now resides in New Mexico.

Latest News

Amenia discusses "opting-in" on cannabis dispensaries

"Town of Amenia Welcomes You"

Leila Hawken

AMENIA — Preliminary discussion over whether or not the town will “opt in” to state regulations that guide the opening and operation of a local cannabis dispensary continued at the regular meeting of the Town Board on Thursday, March 21.

Town Supervisor Leo Blackman introduced the discussion, noting that to move ahead on zoning questions related to location of a dispensary, the board might need the services of a town planner.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tuning up two passions under one roof

The Webb Family in the workshop. From left: Phyllis, Dale, Ben and Josh Webb, and project manager Hannah Schiffer.

Natalia Zukerman

Magic Fluke Ukulele Shop and True Wheels Bicycle Shop are not only under the same roof in a beautiful solar powered building on Route 7 in Sheffield, but they are also both run by the Webb family, telling a tale of familial passion, innovation and a steadfast commitment to sustainability.

In the late ‘90s, Dale Webb was working in engineering and product design at a corporate job. “I took up instrument manufacturing as a fun challenge,” said Dale. After an exhibit at The National Association of Music Merchants in Anaheim, California, in 1999, The Magic Fluke company was born. “We were casting finger boards and gluing these things together in our basement in New Hartford and it just took off,” Dale explained. “It was really a wild ride, it kind of had a life of its own.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Robert Cray’s soulful blues coming to Infinity Hall

Robert Cray

Photo provided

Blues legend Robert Cray will be bringing his stinging, funky guitar and soulful singing to Infinity Hall Norfolk on Friday, March 29.

A five-time Grammy winner, Cray has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and earned The Americana Music Awards Lifetime Achievement for Performance. He has played with blues and rock icons including Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and many more.

Keep ReadingShow less