The demands of the present must stand above the political habits of the past.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Times have changed; so must the lenses through which we see the political future.
We must delve deep into history the better to engage a true dialogue of civilisations. Fear of the present can impose upon the past its own biased vision.
The work of the political activist inevitably involves a certain tension between the requirement that position be taken on current issues as they arise and the desire that one's contributions will somehow survive the ravages of time.
The past always seems somehow more golden, more serious, than the present. We tend to forget the partisanship of yesteryear, preferring to re-imagine our history as a sure and steady march toward greatness.
While writing books about the past, I think about the present. It's not intentional, but somehow my books end up being written under the sign of a political mood.
The essence of statesmanship is not a rigid adherence to the past, but a prudent and probing concern for the future.
We must respect the past, and mistrust the present, if we wish to provide for the safety of the future.
The past has to inform the present.
You have reckoned that history ought to judge the past and to instruct the contemporary world as to the future. The present attempt does not yield to that high office. It will merely tell how it really was.
Confine yourself to the present.