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JoeOnSunset
Doublethink Is Doubleplus Ungood.
Premium
join:2002-11-25
Ormond Beach, FL
| reply to malinois
Re: Time to get a clue...
said by malinois  :“Those who would sacrifice a little freedom for temporal safety deserve neither to be safe or free.” - Benjamin Franklin This is waaay off topic, but interestingly that misquotation of Franklin appears a lot on the Internet. I don't know how the quotation ended up getting changed to this, especially since "temporal" doesn't make sense in context. "Temporal" means "related to time," not "temporary." Anyway, Bartlett's Quotations accurately quotes Franklin as saying,
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. It may have been changed to be more emphatic, since Franklin is criticizing those who give up "essential" liberty (as opposed to any libertal at all) for "a little temporary safety" as opposed to, say, a lot of assured safety.
Nonetheless, in its original form the statement still condemns much of the sacrificies in liberty we've made in this country as history has proven over and over that they haven't made us any safer. | |
malinois
Premium
join:2003-01-09
Petersburg, PA
clubs:
edit:
December 19th, @10:23PM
| I apologize for the off topic misquote with a typographical error. I would like point out that the excellent reference you used indicates that the quote you sited was in fact an altered version of the original. The original according to Suzy Platt's "Respectfully Quoted", "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Your summation was my point. Thanks again for the correction.:) | |
JoeOnSunset
Doublethink Is Doubleplus Ungood.
Premium
join:2002-11-25
Ormond Beach, FL
edit:
December 23rd, @02:18AM
| Geez, offended? Firstly, when I said "wayy off topic" I was talking about my own post, not yours. My post wasn't a criticism of your point at all, but a discussion of the various forms of this quote you always see floating around. That's why it was off topic. Hi.
Now, to get into the finer details: Although I don't see anywhere in the Bartlett's where it says their version of the quote (the one I used) is "altered" (seriously, where did you see that?), I happily concede that their version may not be the only one attributed to him. The version you mention from Platt is also a version you frequently see. Nonetheless, it has the same general meaning as Bartlett's version.
The version of interest (mentioning "temporal safety") makes little sense. That's why it was interesting to me since it's repeated in that form a good deal on the web.
But, since you thanked me: you're welcome. | |
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