Our Jefferson

THE JEFFERSON SYMPOSIUM

On April 13, 1993, I flew to Virginia to attend the 250th Anniversary of the Birth of Thomas Jefferson at the University of Virginia (UVa), the school he founded.  One of the most fascinating things about the celebration was that both the conservative columnist George Will and the former head of the U.S.S.R., Mikhail Gorbachev, were keynote speakers praising Jefferson.  If I needed any evidence that TJ appeals to a broad range of political viewpoints, that was it.  It was at this event that I heard about The Jefferson Symposium to be held that June, and I returned to UVa by car for my first Symposium.  I have attended most of them since that time, and have become one of a group of "regulars" from around the country and across the political spectrum.

So here I am at the 19th Symposium.  All the ones I've attended have been organized and led by Peter Onuf, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Professor of History at UVa, and another distinguished professor, usually a friend of Peter's.  I believe Peter is the leading active Jefferson scholar in the world, and besides being an esteemed scholar and outstanding lecturer he is friendly, funny, and challenging.  Peter invites an interesting group of scholars who may not be 'Jefferson scholars', but have expertise regarding the annual topic.  The Symposium draws a diverse group of Jefferson admirers and others who just want to learn more about him.  Often the merely curious are teachers.  This year the topic is "In Jefferson's Voice: A Vision for America", from Sunday afternoon, July 29, to Thursday morning, August 2, and the intent is "to explore Thomas Jefferson's writings and the influence they have exerted to this day."  When we arrived we received a packet of TJ's writings and each session was to be organized around selected texts.  Much of the fun of the sessions and the social gatherings outside the classrooms is the lively discussion/debates that take place between and among the faculty and participants.  I often find that my understanding of TJ differs from that of the faculty and the participants.  Again that is the case, but this year feels like my views are getting more respect.

Although most newcomers and faculty assume the faculty knows more about TJ than us students, that's not always the case.  Myself, some regulars, and even some first-timers, may have studied TJ more diligently than the faculty members whose areas of interest only touch on TJ, and then only from an academic perspective.  Our interest tends to be more personal and practical: we care about TJ and what he stand for. Once again that seems to a distinction regarding one or two of the faculty.

THE MYSTERY OF NATURE

Most summers since 1993 I have attended The Jefferson Symposium at the University of Virginia. (More about this in the next posts). One of the pleasures of attending is that I drive my BMW convertible from Chicago and enjoy the scenery as I cruise along the Interstates and side roads.  Traveling almost straight south through the pleasant Indiana farmland on I-65 leads to I-64 in Louisville.  This must be one of the most beautiful Interstates in America as it goes east through the horse country of Kentucky, the hills and valleys of West Virginia, and the mountains of Virginia.  There isn't an ugly stretch along the way.  This year I made such good time the I decided to squeeze in a visit to the Natural Bridge, which Jefferson had bought so he could share this " most sublime of Nature's works" with all who would make the trek to see it, and his second home at Poplar Forest.

I've been to both places several times, but something new and unexpected occurred to me at the Natural Bridge.  The Bridge is a massive stone archway over a small stream and Jefferson wrote eloquently (as usual) of it: " It is impossible for the emotions arising from the sublime to be felt beyond what they are here; so beautiful an arch, so elevated, so light, and springing as it were up to heaven, the rapture of the spectator is really indescribable!"  Tourists now walk the trail underneath , as an invisible highway crosses over the arch above.  More than 200  years after he bought it, it still inspires awe at the beauty and majesty of nature.  It is still, and always will be, a natural wonder, yet many of us have had the opportunity to view far more spectacular natural sights that were unknown to TJ.

As I walked under and past the arch I noticed the stream near the paved path; it was just some water passing over and around some rocks.  Nothing special, I even have a man-made stream and pond in my backyard, except it too seemed beautiful.  I suspect it is a common enough response to see a stream as beautiful, or at least attractive ( how often do we see nature photos of streams?), that there is no need to try to describe it.  Perhaps you can picture one in your mind.  So, why do we find such simple scenes in nature so appealing?  Why do we humans feel such an attraction to nature, not just when its grandiose like the Natural Bridge, but when its basic and almost commonplace. Is it because we sense we belong there in nature, that we are at home, and thereby comforted by its presence?  For myself, I would say "yes", but also add that in TJ's terms, a Benevolent Creator seems to be expressed in such natural scenes.  One of the reasons I was drawn to TJ is that despite living when nature was often viewed as a threat to be conquered he cherished its beauty as an expression of Nature's God.  There is a serenity and awe that many feel in this house of worship.  Of course, these aren't original thoughts, but I was struck by how they were stirred in me at the sight of a little stream more so than at the sight of the great stone bridge.  Or, perhaps it was the presence of both that made the impact.

After having these thoughts, as I neared the end of my walk, there were several children who were very excited by the sight of large numbers of yellow butterflies, fish in the stream, and, especially, a snake resting on a rock. It was clear that whatever the attraction of nature is it begins long before we can analyze it.  It seemed so appropriate to have these thoughts on my way to learning and conversing about Jefferson, because the foundation of his life and thought, and hence of Jeffersonian Democracy, were his conception of "the laws of  nature and of nature's God", as he phrased it in the Declaration of Independence.  I was starting my visit to his "country" of Virginia with a vivid reminder of his and America's first principles.

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What does nature and its laws say to you?  Were you aware of the critical connection between TJ and nature?

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Natural History is my passion.             1791

A LITTLE HISTORY OF HUMAN POTENTIAL

During the turmoil of the 1960s and 70s there arose several social movements we are all familiar with- civil rights, women's, anti-Vietnam war, and ecology- that influenced the course of the nation.  There was another movement that many people haven't heard of, its been called the unknown revolution, that may have had a greater impact than any other.  That movement directly and indirectly influenced many of the members of all the others, as well as the entire culture of America, and eventually much of the world.  The movement was called the human potential movement (HPM) and it had a revolutionary impact on our view of what it meant to be human. 

  My Dad, a great seeker after personal development, introduced me to the HPM in the late 60s, and it became the movement I was most comfortable in. It was also around the time I discovered my Jefferson.  For the first time in history psychology offered a positive, optimistic view of human nature and spirituality.  This new concept opposed the view of behaviorism that humans were conditioned like animals by stimulus and response, and the view of Sigmund Freud and his followers that humans were an unhealthy mix of unconscious impulses leading inevitably to neurosis. The HPM began in the 50s and eventually evolved into Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology, which were distinguished by their belief, without scientific proof at the time, in a vast, positive, creative, altruistic, and compassionate human nature.

The HPM declared that self-knowledge and expanded awareness would lead us not to a jumble of automatic responses or untameable impulses, but to a natural drive towards love and joy.  In short, we all possessed a wonderful human potential.  What a radical concept!  But the HPM didn't stop with theory, it developed a large array of health practices, therapies, personal growth progams and centers, and educational tools. It told people not only that they could change, but it helped them do it.  The movement spread beyond psychotherapy into education, health-care, business, government, and the whole culture.

None of us are untouched by it. Whether you recognize it or not, you have been influenced by this new conception of human potential, as well as the emphasis on open and honest emotional expression.  It has changed our lives and world forever, mostly for the good of all.  What does this have to do with TJ?  Quite a lot, as I discovered, and the connection will become clear when we explore his views on human nature at the core of his political philosophy.

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If you have had any personal experience with the HPM, let us know about it.

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         Human nature is the same on every side of the Atlantic, and will be alike influenced by the same cause.                                                       1782

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HELLO! WELCOME!

Hello, my name is Bob Spatz and I'm very excited to welcome you to my Our Jefferson website/blog. If you are reading this before it goes into the Archives, then you are one of my very first guests. Thank you for dropping in.  This blog gives me a chance to share a passion of almost 40 years. That passion is the life, thought, and present relevance of Thomas Jefferson. This is not a political blog, although politics will be addressed, because the focus is on what we can learn from Jefferson (TJ, as I like to call him,) that applies to our everyday lives.

The blog gives me a chance to share my book-in-progress as I write it, and to generate interest and exchanges regarding TJ and our world.  The book is-surprise- Our Jefferson. It has evolved out of my becoming a 'student' of TJ's in the 1970s and coming to see him as 'my Jefferson', the Jefferson that spoke to me about America, the world, and my place in them.  I came to TJ during the turmoil of the civil rights, anti-war, women's, and environmental movements looking for answers regarding what America was originally meant to stand for.  When I came to TJ not only did I begin to find those answers, but I also was surprised to discover how much he had to say about living a good, meaningful life.  As he gradually became my TJ, I wanted to share what I was learning with others.  A book always seemed to be the best way to share, but despite intermittent efforts over the years I was never able to finish The Book, which has led to much good-natured teasing from family and friends. First, it was to be a book of quotes, then about Jefferson, then about TJ and me, and finally about TJ and the present generations.  The subtitle has changed countless times.  Ten years ago, when I discovered I had "mild" Attention Deficit Disorder my stop/start pattern became more understandable and manageable.

Well, as they say, the time is now.  The subtitle of the book is Guidance from the Wisdom and Vision of Thomas Jefferson, and the message is that TJ can provide us with personal guidance as we try to make sense of the world and our lives.  Its not just his wisdom that I found inspiring, but his vision of the future that can give all Americans something to strive for.  "Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" is not primarily a political quest, it is a personal, social, universal, and spiritual journey.

This site is intended to offer you a glimpse into the head and heart of a man who was widely considered one of the 10 greatest men of the last millennium, and the only native born American so honored.  You will also learn something about me, as a student of TJ.  We will not ignore the tough issues concerning race and slavery, or any of his human failings, but my focus will be on the positive and constructive contribution TJ can make to our lives, our nation, and our world. Just as 'my Jefferson' is not a dry figure from the past, but a subjective presence in my life, I believe TJ can also be our Jefferson, someone from the past who can provide wisdom and vision to present and future generations.

I invite you to jump in anywhere--the "Introduction" to the book, and other chapters as they appear, posts, guest posts, comments, quotes by TJ, links, and resources--and let me and the readers know what you think.  Let us know if you have your own TJ or are just curious.  Perhaps someday this blog will lead to the creation of a membership group, The Our Jefferson Society (another dream I've had for almost 40 years) where together we can explore, and act on, ways to improve the direction of our lives and of the nation Jefferson loved so dearly.

So, again HELLO and WELCOME!

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  How easily we prescribe for others a cure for their difficulties, while we cannot cure our own.                                                  1821

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