“Read. The book is still the greatest manmade
machine of all – not the car, not the TV, not the computer or the
smartphone...” – Ken Burns
Born in
1953, Burns is the creator of some of our most resounding and haunting film
series on such topics like The Civil War, World War II and The Vietnam War. He also is
winner of The Steinbeck Prize for his life’s work. On this Memorial Day, I think it’s fitting
to share some of Burns’ words, taken from a Commencement Speech given at
Washington University in 2015. What he said
then, including the quote above, resonates even more today.
“Do not
allow our social media to segregate us into ever smaller tribes and clans,
fiercely and sometimes appropriately loyal to our group, but each also capable
of metastasizing into profound distrust of the other,”
he said.
“Convince your government that the
real threat, as Lincoln knew, comes from within. Governments always forget
that, too. Do not let your government outsource honesty, transparency or
candor. Do not let your government outsource democracy.”
“Insist
that we support science and the arts, especially the arts. They have nothing to
do with the actual defense of the country – they just make the country worth
defending.”
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