The Next Big Idea Walter Isaacson on The Greatest Sentence Ever Written
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Nov 18, 2025 
Walter Isaacson, an acclaimed biographer and former CNN CEO, delves into the profound significance of the Declaration of Independence's most famous sentence. He reveals it as a national mission statement and explores its emotional resonance. Isaacson addresses the founders' contradictions, particularly regarding slavery, and highlights the influence of Enlightenment thinking. He discusses the ongoing relevance of this sentence in today's democracy, warning about its fragility and urging unity in a time of division.
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A Sentence That Became A Mission Statement
- The Declaration’s second sentence functions as a national mission statement that inspired risk and action.
- It reframes government legitimacy as a social contract protecting individual rights and common good.
We As A Social Contract
- The opening word "we" signals a social contract, not merely the 60 men in Philadelphia.
- The founders framed the nation as an agreement among individuals with equal political rights under a compact.
Aspirations Versus Contradictions
- The founders embodied deep contradictions, especially on slavery, that cannot be fully reconciled.
- The Declaration sets an aspirational standard that expanded over time through struggle and reform.
