Endless possibilities. Today is the day to embrace the world with a new outlook — your own.
Why? It’s Freethinkers Day, and it is perfectly fine to challenge norms and look outside the box of traditional thinking to see if other solutions to problems come about. Without freethinkers, what kind of life would there really be?
Who was Thomas Paine? He was a philosopher, to some, who thought heavily about Enlightenment and believed in natural rights. His most famous publications were “Common Sense,” and “The American Crisis,” both of which are linked from the Project Gutenberg eBook for anyone who missed out on reading them in school.
Paine was also a contributor to Truth Seeker Magazine, which celebrated 150 years with their September through December issue. The May-August 2022 is a commemorative edition to Paine, as was the January to April 2015. The September-December 2019 is a free issue, if you’re interested. It includes a piece about Paine and the Declaration of Independence.
Why bring up Paine on Freethinkers Day? Because its founding, in the 1990s, was a nod to him and happens to fall on his birthday in 1737. In the Truth Seeker periodical, it was suggested, to celebrate with white roses, keeping the thorns intact. According to DaysoftheYear.com, “The symbol of the color white was for purity, fragility and beauty, but the thorns also represent danger.”
So, today, show your enjoyment of freedom. Read something by Paine. Add a few white roses to your desk and be sure to explain what they represent when coworkers ask about them. Or, learn more about the Freethought Society.
