Matthew Arnold Quote

“The freethinking of one age is the common sense of the next.”

~ Matthew Arnold

1875

Ratings and Comments


E Archer, NYC

Never fear challenging the staus quo.

RobertSRQ
  • Reply
RobertSRQ    11/7/07

Indeed! never fear questioning authority

warren, olathe

When do we get to the common sense part? Common sense is perpetually under attack because so many lack it.

Mike, Norwalk

I guess its all in how you define free-thinking. Marx and others could be considered free-thinking but had zero common sense in that age or the next.

Allyn, WA
  • Reply
Allyn, WA    11/7/07

I am always amazed at how each generation tries to reinvent the wheel. The arrogance of youth leads them to believe they have some special insight that, somehow, their fathers didn't. Some things have been established for thousands of years for good reason and ought to be left alone (if we know what's good for us).

Tom, Portland

Good quote, but I think Ambrose Bierce, in his "The Devil's Dictionary", put it better: "Radicalism, n. The conservatism of tomorrow injected into the affairs of today."

Robert, St. Emilion, France

I just hope its not to late....

jim k, austin tx

Very well said Allyn.

cal, Lewisville, tx

Our forefathers did the free-thinking. When will the generation with common sense appear?

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