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The firmness with which the (American) people have withstood the... abuses of the press, the discernment they have manifested between truth and falsehood, show that they may safely be trusted to hear everything true and false and to form a correct judgment between them.
Thomas Jefferson
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote emphasizes the ability of people to distinguish truth from falsehood despite media influences.

Thomas Jefferson highlights the resilience and discernment of the American people in their ability to withstand misinformation and recognize truth. He expresses confidence that they can handle the complexities of information from the press and make informed judgments, reflecting a deep trust in public intelligence and critical thinking.

Themes

TruthFalsehoodJudgmentPressTrust

In practice

Example use cases

During a discussion on media literacy, someone might quote Jefferson to emphasize the importance of critical thinking.

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I, place economy among the first & most important republican virtues, & public debt as the greatest of the dangers to be feared
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‎We must make our choice between economy and liberty or confusion and servitude...If we run into such debts, we must be taxed in our meat and drink, in our necessities and comforts, in our labor and in our amusements...if we can prevent the government from wasting the labor of the people, under the pretense of caring for them, they will be happy.
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Very many and very meritorious were the worthy patriots who assisted in bringing back our government to its republican tack. To preserve it in that, will require unremitting vigilance.
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Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.
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There is not a sprig of grass that shoots uninteresting to me.
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