A couple of weeks ago I found myself reading an op-ed piece in the local paper about the revolutions of Darwin and Lincoln, both born 200 years ago this year. The piece*, by Steven Conn, was eloquent in stating the importance of the lives of both men and how we especially need to turn to their revolutionary thoughts today.
"In this year of twin bicentennials, it is worth remembering that the emergence of modern America was shaped by twin revolutions: one brought by Lincoln, the Civil War and the emancipation of roughly 4 million black slaves; the other initiated by Darwin's explanation of the natural world through the mechanism of natural selection.
On the face of it, these revolutions, profound as they have been, would appear to be as coincidental as the birthday Lincoln and Darwin share. On the one hand, Lincoln's Civil War transformed the social, political and racial landscape in ways which continue to play out. On the other, Darwin transformed our understanding of biological science, paving the way for countless advances in science, especially in medicine.
In fact, both revolutions share a commitment to the same proposition: All human beings are created equal."
I enjoyed the piece and was surprised to read it in the Dispatch. I noticed the author was a professor at Ohio State. I looked him up and found out he shares a blog with two other people; a blog that is right up my alley. It's called the Rustbelt Intellectual and it's very well written and incisive.
Check out these recent posts: Dr. No(hio) about Rep. Boehner, One Size Fits All Economics, or Bourne Supremacy. Really, just bookmark it (or add it to your reader), because all of the contributors are smart writers.
*The Dispatch won't let me hard link to it because it's over a week old, but Conn reprinted the text on his blog.
Wow. A smart person who blogs. I'm impressed. I graduate from Ohio State although I never went to a single football game. I don't how intellectual I am either, but I do have my own blog and have been told it's pretty good. Keep going, I like your thought process. Found you on Kathleen Maher's list.
I'm at http://www.thetruthtosomeextent.blogspot. com
Posted by: lisa holdren | February 13, 2009 at 12:51 AM