Kultur1: Germans Thinking Freely

I may be a Chem Nerd, but I’m no pushover. Let’s just get that out of the way. I like to experience new things and open myself up to different ways of living. With that said, I found the section pertaining to Freethinkers very interesting. I hadn’t heard of it in Germany before reading the article and it was neat to get a different perspective on some of the German population in the 1900s. The Freethinkers were all about challenging the ideas thought of as right and true during the time. Why shouldn’t women have the right to vote? Why is slavery thought of as okay? These were some of the issues that the Freethinkers addressed and hoped to change. It was about facing the fact that just because millions believe in something, doesn’t make it right. As Antole France once put it, “If 50 million people believe a foolish thing, it is still a foolish thing.” The Freethinkers were the fearless that approached the fearers and haters. So maybe I’m getting a little deep with this? Ja, it’s possible. However, the point of thinking openly and freely is something that we can all act on and appreciate. Challenge the unchallenged. Ask the unquestioned. As Thomas Paine once said, “The most powerful weapon against errors of any kind is reason.” Maybe those German Freethinkers were on to something? Maybe we should all try to be a little more pansy-like every now and then.

Fun fact: The symbol of freethought is the pansy.