Thursday, April 07, 2011

What if Abraham Lincoln had been treated for his depression?

My profound thought for the day concerns Abraham Lincoln.  His episodes with depression were untreated and long lasting.  While I would not go so far as to say depression affected his judgment, it did affect his approach to many matters.  For example, when he asked Robert E. Lee to head up the Union Army, Lee turned Lincoln down because Lee felt his loyalty was to Virginia.

Lincoln acquiesced.  But what if Lincoln had been  a little more up beat, optimistic, and shared his vision with Lee?  What if Lincoln made an effort to persuade Lee that there was greater cause at stake here, and that Virginia's future was tied to the future of a set of states that were united?

The civil war would have been fought and ended,  possibly in one year or less.   The umber of deaths would have been dramatically reduced.