Often times, human nature is revealed people during times of hardship. I think, (and this is just speculation) that perhaps the hardships that Lincoln went through growing up resulted in a man that knew his own character quite well, and understood the character of others quite well also.
This explains the lack of grudge holding, the patience, and sympathy towards many people and groups of people that we may find surprising, such as the Southern lifestyle, his cabinet members, generals, etc.
Thoughts?
Hello Dominick,
ReplyDeleteI agree. I believe that a person’s environment plays a factor in their character and ultimately effects their life choices and outcomes. It may be possible that Lincoln’s early experiences shaped and propelled him to be the man he eventually was. I think Lincoln did not hold grudges, was patient, and had sympathy towards his fellow man because he realized that a lot of conflicts are not worth worrying and stressing over. He tried to put his personal feelings aside and viewed the issue at hand, which allowed him to make really well thought out decisions. In addition, I think another contributing factor was his temperament. This could have played a substantial role in his attributes as well. His early life experiences could have been a factor to such a mild-manner temperament too.