"to those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict or blame their society's ills on the west, know that your people will judge you by what you can build, not what you destroy. to those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wr

Nice summary of the essay in the notes
"Do not seek yourself outside yourself"

A commemorative edition of President Obama’s 2009 inaugural address, this also includes both of Lincoln’s inaugural speeches, The Gettysburg Address, and Ralph Waldo Emerson’s seminal work of American philosophy, “Self-Reliance.” The preface identifies these additional works as being of significant

I don't usually read transcripts of speeches, but I made an exception. Obama's speech was quite straightforward, a no-nonsense and not too "flowery" kind of speech, so I didn't mind reading it. Abe Lincoln's speeches and Emerson's Self-Reliance added a nice background to it, and I could see how they

nice little commemorative edition of inaugural along with some lincoln and emerson - hypotaxis vs parataxis holla

Great to have read this book. Really gives back 2009 memories.

3.5 ⭐️ This was a timely read. I would have much rather read a book of Obama’s speeches, or if he had included an introduction to the other pieces. They seemed oddly juxtaposed to Obama’s: Lincoln explicitly states that he is not in favour of ending slavery, and Emerson writes about individualism in

Intelligence. Integrity. Civility. Hope. Those were the days, my friend.