Chapter 110 - The Man from Monticello: An Intimate Life of Thomas Jefferson
Today’s Chapter is based on the book “The Man from Monticello: An Intimate Life of Thomas Jefferson” by Thomas Fleming.
Thomas Jefferson was an American Founding Father, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president of the United States.
Here’s what I learned:
Pursuit of Knowledge
“In my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn't read all the time—none, zero.”
— Charlie Munger
Thomas Jefferson’s intellectual curiosity was a driving force that propelled him to greatness throughout his life. He possessed a boundless thirst for knowledge, devouring books on a wide range of subjects, from botany and architecture to law and political theory. This passion for learning was not merely an academic exercise; it was integral to his understanding of the world and his vision for a better future.
As a matter of fact, Jefferson was known to be an avid book reader. He had a library of over 2640 books in his house in Monticello. Jefferson once said, "I cannot live without books.” As Thomas Fleming explains, “His love of books was nothing less than passionate. When his library went up with Shadwell's smoke, he remarked that it was worth 200 pounds—perhaps $5,000 in today's dollars. "I wish it had been the money," he [Thomas Jefferson] said.”
But truth be told, his pursuit of knowledge wasn’t confined to books; he was a meticulous observer and documented his observations and insights about the world around him. Jefferson became an expert botanist, able to give without hesitation the botanical names for almost every tree and bush he passed due to this keen sense of observation. He was fond of saying, “There is not a sprig of grass that grows uninteresting to me.”, which reflects his sense of intellectual interest to everything.
"Tom Jefferson had responded by becoming a student of almost incredible industry. It was not unusual for him to spend fifteen consecutive hours over his books."
— Thomas Fleming
In a rapidly changing world, the ability to learn continuously and adapt is essential for success. Jefferson’s love for books reminds me of Seymour Schulich who is another advocate for lifelong learning. In fact, Schulich believes in keeping the mind active and engaged in order to live a long successful life. He once said, “Keeping yourself mentally stimulated is very important—maybe even critical—to a long life.” This commitment to learning not only enriches personal life but also enhances professional capabilities.
Furthermore, Schulich believes that education does not end with formal schooling. In fact, reading and self-education are central to Schulich’s perpetual learning philosophy. He argues that consistent reading is one of the most effective ways to build a knowledge base.
"If you read a page a minute, then set aside an hour a day, it's very easy to read a book a week. This habit contributed more to my knowledge base than my three university degrees."
— Seymour Schulich
Reading is especially important according Schulich because there’s a lot that can be learned from history. As Charlie Munger once said, “There is no better teacher than history in determining the future. There are answers worth billions of dollars in a $30 history book.”
Similarly, Schulich believes that "Financial history keeps repeating itself—that's why it's among the most important subjects for any aspiring businessperson or investor to study. I'd say it's almost as critical as accounting, which is the language of business, and statistics, which teaches you to analyze probabilities and risks."
Education For Everyone
“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people. They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.”
— Thomas Jefferson
As we have seen previously, Thomas Jefferson devoted himself to learning in a way that was almost unmatched among his contemporaries. However, Jefferson was also a man who believed that education was not just a tool for personal growth but a vital foundation for a functioning democracy. As he once said, “An educated citizenry is a vital requisite for our survival as a free people.” For Jefferson, the pursuit of knowledge was both a private passion and a public mission for this extraordinary man.
As a matter of fact, Jefferson’s commitment to spreading knowledge extended beyond his personal endeavors. He proposed ambitious plans for public education, such as dividing Virginia into small districts with primary schools accessible to all, through the writings of his “Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge”.
“With this declaration of spiritual independence Jefferson coupled his "Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge" which aimed at buttressing this freedom with an informed, educated electorate. It not only called on Virginia to set up a public school system, but planned it in detail. Jefferson proposed dividing each county into "hundreds"—small neighborhood school districts for the primary level. Above these the better students would move on to "grammar" schools where a much smaller number of young men of genuine ability would be educated at public expense and, finally, twenty students from these schools would be selected to go on to the College of William and Mary on public scholarships. Those able to afford an education would, Jefferson expected, send their children to these schools at their own expense.”
— Thomas Fleming
Furthermore, Jefferson’s love for books culminated in the creation of the University of Virginia, a project he regarded as one of his crowning achievements. In fact, Jefferson envisioned the university as a center for learning that would cultivate future leaders. He dedicated much of his later life to this project, believing that higher education was vital for the nation’s progress. He believed that an informed citizenry was essential for self-governance and for safeguarding individual liberties against tyranny. He explains that education should not be a privilege but an essential right to empower citizens to participate fully in a democratic society. An educated populace was less susceptible to manipulation and more capable of making informed decisions about their government.
Finally, Jefferson was also an advocate for promoting women’s education. In fact, he was deeply involved in his daughter Martha’s education. He previously wrote to this friend François Barbé-Marbois that it was extremely important to give Martha the best possible education since “the chance that in marriage she will draw a blockhead I calculate at about 14 to 1." This meant that the education of her family would "rest on her own ideas and direction without assistance."
Pragmatic Idealist
“Idealism without pragmatism is impotent. Pragmatism without idealism is meaningless. The key to effective leadership is pragmatic idealism.”
— Richard Nixon
Thomas Jefferson’s political career was defined by a tension between idealism and realism. It is fair to say that Jefferson’s career in public affairs started during a time of conflict which led to the creation of the United States of America. Considered one of the founding father, Jefferson is well known for being the main writer of the Declaration of Independence.
In my opinion, the way Jefferson approached the drafting of the Declaration of Independence shows his prowess in shrewd pragmatism. As a matter of fact, Thomas Fleming describes that Jefferson “had no desire to find out "new principles or new arguments never before thought of." His purpose was to "place before mankind the common sense of the subject in terms so plain and firm as to command their assent." He did not even aim at "originality of principle or sentiment," in the individual sense of these terms. The declaration "was intended to be an expression of the American mind and to give to that expression the proper tone and spirit called for by the occasion.””
Furthermore, Jefferson’s political career was marked by his ability to forge alliances and build consensus, even among individuals with vastly different perspectives, due to his understanding of pragmatism. He possessed a remarkable talent for cultivating friendships, a skill that proved invaluable in the often-contentious world of politics. Fleming explains, “In this acrimonious atmosphere Jefferson displayed for the first time another political gift—an ability to win and hold the friendship of remarkably opposite men, without compromising his own principles. Contentious John Adams wrote later that Jefferson “though a silent member in Congress . . . was so prompt, frank, explicit and decisive upon committees and in conversation—not even Samuel Adams was more so-that he soon seized upon my heart.””
“But every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all Republicans-we are all Federalists.”
— Thomas Jefferson
Another proof of Jefferson’s pragmatism can be seen by his view on the strict observance of the written laws. In fact, Jefferson believed that it was important to not blindly follow the written law. As he once said, "The laws of necessity, of self-preservation, as saving our country when in danger, are of higher obligation. To lose our country by a scrupulous adherence to written law, would be to lose the law itself with life, liberty, property and all those who are enjoying them with us; thus absurdly sacrificing the end to the means."
This reminds me of what we have previously learned from Lee Kuan Yew, who is widely regarded as the founder of modern Singapore. Lee was not fond of having a specific ideology while governing. For him, it was all about finding a solution that worked no matter where it came from. It is by being an “utilitarian” that he was able to transform Singapore from a small and impoverish British colony into a prosperous, modern city-state with a strong economy, efficient government and high standard of living.
Lee explains that "I don't think in those terms. I am not great on philosophy and theories. I am interested in them, but my life is not guided by philosophy or theories. I get things done and leave others to extract the principles from my successful solutions. I do not work on a theory. Instead I ask: what will make this work? If, after a series of such solutions, I find that a certain approach worked, then I try to find out what was the principle behind the solution.”
As a matter of fact, Lee Kuan Yew’s guiding principle is to review all solutions and to choose the solution with the highest probability of success. If his proposed solution fails, then he will go over the alternatives solutions and find another way. By not being guided by a philosophy or a theory, Lee Kuan Yew didn’t need to force himself into chasing ideas when they didn’t work:
“I chase ideas provided they work. When they don't work, I say, look, this idea maybe sounds bright, but let's try something that works. So we try something that works, let's get it going.”
— Lee Kuan Yew
Beyond the Book
Read "Use These Simple Strategies to Retain Everything You Read" by Farnam Street
Read "A Simple Tool to Help You Learn Better" by Farnam Street
Read "A Bill for the More General Diffusion of Knowledge" by Thomas Jefferson
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