On the Thinker

One of my favorite quotes comes from the Spanish author and philosopher George Santayana. In the first volume of "The Life of Reason," he remarks, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." This simple, yet profound reasoning has arguably never been more pertinent to society than it is today. Before I jump into that, however, let me say a little about my motivation for writing.

I decided to begin this blog partly because of my continued interest in and study of history and political science, but also because I hope to interest others in these disciplines. My blog will examine volition as it both shapes and makes history. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, volition is "an act of making a choice or decision." Choices always precede actions, and actions are a force of history. Since human beings are generally rational and able to make choices, our volition empowers us to make history.

In my experience, many average people find history and politics especially distasteful. Many form opinions without first examining the issues, and even more remain complacent with and ignorant of them. True, world events or political scandals may seem trivial and irrelevant at times to the happenings of daily life. But in this time, a time many have dubbed "a defining moment," the words of Santayana seem more prevalent to me than ever. In order to change the course of the future, we must understand the past.

In closing, I want to say a few words in my own defense about this blog. My opinions, beliefs, and occasional satire are meant to stir up spirited debate and galvanize support or criticism. I have listened to enough political commentators, analysts, and professors to understand that any opinion will come under scrutiny. For this reason, I intend to avoid generalizing when discussing matters on which I have opinions.