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Dread Knot · 05-23-14, 04:37 AM

If you could somehow transport the Founding Fathers into a 21st century press conference, you'd likely have to sedate and restrain them before you get more than gibberish, shouts and oaths out of them. They would likely think themselves mad or drunk and you might eventually get lines like this----

"You flicked your hand over a panel by the door and illumination burst forth. What witchcraft is this?"

"This room is exceedingly warm, but there is no hearth to be seen. Is this the realm of Lucifer?"

"That Negro there is dressed in the finery of a man of title. Why is he not working in the fields?

"The exposed flesh on all these harlots is truely an earthy delight. Ben, you hedonist, lend me the use of your spectacles."

"You say I can speak forth into this instrument and my words will be heard over the space of a continent? What poor jibe is this?"

"You claim this one musket can lay the fire of an entire company of soldiers?" Jefferson, we must rethink the 2nd Amendment."

"Sodomites are allowed to -- WHAT?"

At some point in the proceedings a camera flash would pop, or a jet would pass overhead. At this point the Founding Fathers would pile out teh door in terror, into the street and likely be killed in traffic.

I think the question of 'what would the founders think of the state of our nation?' is a false one. They could not have possibly foreseen this, and wouldn't have had the context with which to process it if they could have. They were, after all, mere mortal men. Maybe more educated and intelligent than most, but not magical.

I think a more pertinent analogy is if you could sit down with the ten -year old version of yourself. Now start badgering that ten year old with life questions about funding college, tax law, what divorce attorney you hire, or what insurance policy to buy, or how you should set up your 401k. Likely, even if he was a straight-A student he will just stare or start to shed tears in bafflement. He doesn't have the experience or prespective to process it. More importantly what would his opinion matter? He thankfully hasn't had to live it yet. If, the ten year version of ourselves doesn't have the answers to our complicated modern lives, why do we always think the 18th century founders of our young nation if beamed into the present would have the answers to all the unforeseen dilemmas of our history?

05-23-14, 04:37 AM	#3
Dread Knot Ace of the Deep Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 1,288 Downloads: 85 Uploads: 0	If you could somehow transport the Founding Fathers into a 21st century press conference, you'd likely have to sedate and restrain them before you get more than gibberish, shouts and oaths out of them. They would likely think themselves mad or drunk and you might eventually get lines like this---- "You flicked your hand over a panel by the door and illumination burst forth. What witchcraft is this?" "This room is exceedingly warm, but there is no hearth to be seen. Is this the realm of Lucifer?" "That Negro there is dressed in the finery of a man of title. Why is he not working in the fields? "The exposed flesh on all these harlots is truely an earthy delight. Ben, you hedonist, lend me the use of your spectacles." "You say I can speak forth into this instrument and my words will be heard over the space of a continent? What poor jibe is this?" "You claim this one musket can lay the fire of an entire company of soldiers?" Jefferson, we must rethink the 2nd Amendment." "Sodomites are allowed to -- WHAT?" At some point in the proceedings a camera flash would pop, or a jet would pass overhead. At this point the Founding Fathers would pile out teh door in terror, into the street and likely be killed in traffic. I think the question of 'what would the founders think of the state of our nation?' is a false one. They could not have possibly foreseen this, and wouldn't have had the context with which to process it if they could have. They were, after all, mere mortal men. Maybe more educated and intelligent than most, but not magical. I think a more pertinent analogy is if you could sit down with the ten -year old version of yourself. Now start badgering that ten year old with life questions about funding college, tax law, what divorce attorney you hire, or what insurance policy to buy, or how you should set up your 401k. Likely, even if he was a straight-A student he will just stare or start to shed tears in bafflement. He doesn't have the experience or prespective to process it. More importantly what would his opinion matter? He thankfully hasn't had to live it yet. If, the ten year version of ourselves doesn't have the answers to our complicated modern lives, why do we always think the 18th century founders of our young nation if beamed into the present would have the answers to all the unforeseen dilemmas of our history? Last edited by Dread Knot; 05-23-14 at 06:47 AM.