I once read somewhere that, as opposed to being someone who fought for his country, Jefferson is known as a man who “thought for his country.” And in so doing (within the constraints of his upbringing and personal preconceptions) it seems that he tried his hardest to devise what would be best for humanity and nature in combination.
An ingenious man by virtually any measure, Jefferson embraced (and became highly expert in) architecture, innovative farming techniques, natural history, design and invention, diplomacy, law and more.
Incongruously, he fervently believed in freedom, yet at the same time owned slaves (whose release he proposed on more than one occasion but never carried out) .
But despite that seeming contradiction in his personality, it seems likely that, deep down, his greatest wish was for humans to live in a state of harmony with both each other and the natural world. From the Louisiana Purchase to his creation of the University of Virginia to the design of his experimental gardens at Monticello, Jefferson pursued the life of what he saw as the ideal “gentleman farmer.” Such an individual, in his mind, should be in possession of both the education and freedom to appreciate, work with, and further study nature, philosophy and invention.
There can be little doubt that, if Jefferson were alive today, he’d be interested in reconciling modern technology with our natural environment, and probably working hard to do so.
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About Me
- Tom Owens
- I'm interested in nature, technology, and the human interface between the two. I see anthropocentrism (often combined with ethnocentrism and/or excessive religious fervor) as probably the most damaging human mindset, at least environmentally-speaking. A great goal of mine is to inspire a love of nature in people. I believe we will all benefit if everyone can create a bond with other organisms and feel the connectedness of all life on our planet. We all have to realize that humans are not separate from the rest of nature.
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