I had a conversation with a family member over the weekend and the topic was politics and where we fell in the left/right spectrum. I wanted to get some of my thoughts down here, recorded for history since I have learned that my brain can only hold so much information. One of the major thoughts that came from the conversation was that the Constitution is more than a document written for a specific time and place. The Constitution is about people and addresses human nature. The fact that people and human nature do not change makes the Constitution just as relevant today as when it was written.
I guess I should back up a little and explain the theory that people and human nature has changed very little in the past 200 or so years… Back when television was invented, people had similar issues facing us today with the internet. It was a new medium, exciting, wild and ever changing. It took many many years for the medium to settle down and become a stable marketplace.
Part of human nature is that little thing called the ego. We believe that because we are special, we live in special times and the challenges facing us have never been seen before. I really am jealous of history majors, since they have the unique experience of being immersed in the past and can benefit from the perspective that it brings. If I had some more time, I would spend it reading history books, but for now the occasional History Channel program will have to do.
So back to the Constitution… Some may argue that the constitution should be a “living document” and be interpreted for today’s time. This too is an egotistical view to hold, and I believe is a dangerous slope to descend. The reason this country has flourished and endured for over 230 years is a testimate to the original framers of our constitution and the document that was more about people than the times in which it was written.
Post a Comment