Frank Birch on Becoming Wise
on Friday, September 12, 2014Frank Birch Money Quotation saying knowing the price of wisdom and freedom leads to value gained in seeking both. Frank Birch said:
“The price of Liberty is eternal vigilance and the price of wisdom is eternal thought” — Frank Birch
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In this quote, Frank Birch is conveying two related ideas:
- That maintaining liberty/freedom requires constant vigilance and effort. By saying “the price of Liberty is eternal vigilance”, Birch means that societies must remain watchfully aware of threats to freedom and be willing to actively defend it, as liberty is not a passive state that maintains itself without work.
- That gaining wisdom and understanding requires continuous thought and reflection. Stating “the price of wisdom is eternal thought”, Birch suggests wisdom is not a fixed destination but something that deepens through ongoing contemplation over time.
So in summary, Birch is arguing that both protecting political freedom and expanding knowledge/insight demand ongoing, ceaseless work and investment of mental energy from societies and individuals. Liberty and wisdom are not static but dynamic qualities that must be continuously nourished through vigilance and thought respectively.