"Important truths begin as outrageous, or at least uncomfortable, attacks upon the accepted wisdom of the time."
Essay
A new idea or thought may not always be welcomed most delightfully; it is bound to be rebuffed, or worse, face severe opposition & abasement. However, such retaliation has never stood in the way of the emergence of new ideas which, many a times, proved to be stupendous contributions for the society.
People don't entertain new thoughts because they are most comfortably adapted to the old ones which, in many cases, are handed down from generation to generation. Religion is a major example, Moses in Egypt, Jesus in Palestine & Muhammad (Salallho Waalihe wasalum) in Arabia all encountered hostile resistance when they came forth with the message of God. Either it was comfort or holding on the costumes of their ancestors, they opposed the message of truth, honesty, respect, equality, sacrifice & a restoration of the true monotheist faith. But truth finally triumphed & today numerous individuals have found spiritual solace in the preaching of these prophets.
Religion enlightens the minds & hearts of the believers but many a times it has also stood in the way of innovative ideas. The Heliocentric model proposed by Nicolas Copernicus stating the Sun is in the center of the universe around which all celestial objects including the earth revolves, encountered relentless opposition by the Catholic Church as it appeared to contradict the biblical reference that "the earth if firmly established, it can not be moved". This theory was vehemently banned & Galileo who attempted to support it on the bases of his own research was accused of heresy, forced to recant & charged to spend the last 20 years of his life in house arrest. But the later studies of this subject proved that heliocentric theory is creditable; today it is considered as the epiphany of modern science. As for Galileo, numerous attempts by the Vatican to make up for the viciousness directed towards him. In 1939 Pope Pius XII described him as "the most audacious hero of research" & in March 2008 his statue was erected in the walls of the Vatican to propose his complete re habilitation.
Women are always considered as the care taker of the family without thinking that they may also feel the need to dwell on their interests, talents & intellects. Elizabeth Blackwell is the first woman to graduate from medical school in 1849; she was admitted in Geneva Medical College, Geneva, New York considering that this is some ones idea of a practical joke. Today her medical papers are considered to be highly beneficial & her exemplary life has encouraged many women to do greatly. If Elizabeth Blackwell & many others had suppressed their vocational callings a void would have been created in the fields of science, art, philosophy, literature & sport.
Wars & fundamentalist rulers have also been the source of suppressing the growth of ideas. The press has always been the weakest target to gagging, closure or becoming the mouth piece of the rulers, as observed in Afghanistan during the Taliban reign. The first amendment in the Constitution of United State of America in 1987 is the beacon of freedom of expression for the western world along with the statement of the French national assembly in 1989:
"The free expression of opinion and thoughts is the precious right of man; every citizen may speak write & print free"
Such statements are a welcome note that new innovative ideas may not be treated with such vigorous retribution but still it will have to prove itself laudable to be embraced with open arms.
People are well accustomed to the dogma of their time & a new idea is usually considered as a vicious attack on them; with the advent of reasoning the dogmas also modify but probably don't receive an immediate acceptance. Mark Twin said that "The man with a new idea is always a crank, until the idea succeeds". This saying fits well for all the people who had the gift to think beyond the assumed concrete norms of the time.
If Galileo had yielded in the face of dissent a door to the new world of astronomical discoveries would never have opened to us, but if it were not him there would have been another man of reason, courage & immense patience, there would have been some other hero. People who had the courage to be the first to stand against the social beliefs had to face stern antagonism but those who stood strong paved the way for millions to make an astounding future, a wonderful today.
Essay
A new idea or thought may not always be welcomed most delightfully; it is bound to be rebuffed, or worse, face severe opposition & abasement. However, such retaliation has never stood in the way of the emergence of new ideas which, many a times, proved to be stupendous contributions for the society.
People don't entertain new thoughts because they are most comfortably adapted to the old ones which, in many cases, are handed down from generation to generation. Religion is a major example, Moses in Egypt, Jesus in Palestine & Muhammad (Salallho Waalihe wasalum) in Arabia all encountered hostile resistance when they came forth with the message of God. Either it was comfort or holding on the costumes of their ancestors, they opposed the message of truth, honesty, respect, equality, sacrifice & a restoration of the true monotheist faith. But truth finally triumphed & today numerous individuals have found spiritual solace in the preaching of these prophets.
Religion enlightens the minds & hearts of the believers but many a times it has also stood in the way of innovative ideas. The Heliocentric model proposed by Nicolas Copernicus stating the Sun is in the center of the universe around which all celestial objects including the earth revolves, encountered relentless opposition by the Catholic Church as it appeared to contradict the biblical reference that "the earth if firmly established, it can not be moved". This theory was vehemently banned & Galileo who attempted to support it on the bases of his own research was accused of heresy, forced to recant & charged to spend the last 20 years of his life in house arrest. But the later studies of this subject proved that heliocentric theory is creditable; today it is considered as the epiphany of modern science. As for Galileo, numerous attempts by the Vatican to make up for the viciousness directed towards him. In 1939 Pope Pius XII described him as "the most audacious hero of research" & in March 2008 his statue was erected in the walls of the Vatican to propose his complete re habilitation.
Women are always considered as the care taker of the family without thinking that they may also feel the need to dwell on their interests, talents & intellects. Elizabeth Blackwell is the first woman to graduate from medical school in 1849; she was admitted in Geneva Medical College, Geneva, New York considering that this is some ones idea of a practical joke. Today her medical papers are considered to be highly beneficial & her exemplary life has encouraged many women to do greatly. If Elizabeth Blackwell & many others had suppressed their vocational callings a void would have been created in the fields of science, art, philosophy, literature & sport.
Wars & fundamentalist rulers have also been the source of suppressing the growth of ideas. The press has always been the weakest target to gagging, closure or becoming the mouth piece of the rulers, as observed in Afghanistan during the Taliban reign. The first amendment in the Constitution of United State of America in 1987 is the beacon of freedom of expression for the western world along with the statement of the French national assembly in 1989:
"The free expression of opinion and thoughts is the precious right of man; every citizen may speak write & print free"
Such statements are a welcome note that new innovative ideas may not be treated with such vigorous retribution but still it will have to prove itself laudable to be embraced with open arms.
People are well accustomed to the dogma of their time & a new idea is usually considered as a vicious attack on them; with the advent of reasoning the dogmas also modify but probably don't receive an immediate acceptance. Mark Twin said that "The man with a new idea is always a crank, until the idea succeeds". This saying fits well for all the people who had the gift to think beyond the assumed concrete norms of the time.
If Galileo had yielded in the face of dissent a door to the new world of astronomical discoveries would never have opened to us, but if it were not him there would have been another man of reason, courage & immense patience, there would have been some other hero. People who had the courage to be the first to stand against the social beliefs had to face stern antagonism but those who stood strong paved the way for millions to make an astounding future, a wonderful today.
