Politics is such a torment that I advise everyone I love not to

In the words of Thomas Jefferson, “Politics is such a torment that I advise everyone I love not to mix with it.” we hear not only the sigh of a weary statesman, but the confession of a soul who bore the weight of public life until it carved into his heart. Jefferson, who penned the Declaration of Independence and dreamed of liberty for his nation, knew from experience that the realm of politics is not a garden of noble ideals but a battlefield of envy, suspicion, and endless strife. His words reveal the paradox of public service: though politics is necessary for the ordering of nations, it can consume the peace of those who dwell within it.

The origin of this saying lies in Jefferson’s long years of service—first as revolutionary thinker, then diplomat, Vice President, President, and finally elder statesman. Though he achieved great triumphs, his career was scarred by relentless attacks, bitter rivalries, and controversies that followed him until death. Even as he worked for the birth of a new republic, he endured accusations of hypocrisy, betrayals by allies, and the ceaseless scrutiny of enemies. Thus, when he calls politics a torment, it is not the voice of theory but of lived experience, the lament of a man who saw that power never comes without its shadow.

History confirms his lament. Consider the tale of Marcus Tullius Cicero, the Roman orator. He entered politics to defend the republic, to safeguard justice against tyranny. Yet he found himself caught between ambitious generals, shifting factions, and betrayals that stripped him of peace. In the end, his head and hands were nailed to the rostra by his enemies. Cicero, like Jefferson, knew that politics devours those who serve within it, even as it demands their sacrifice. The torment of politics is not only in its burdens, but in its cruelty.

Yet Jefferson’s words are also tinged with love. Notice that he says, “I advise everyone I love not to mix with it.” This is not a blanket condemnation of politics, for Jefferson himself gave his life to it. Rather, it is a warning born of affection: he did not wish those dearest to him to suffer the trials he endured. To love someone is to desire their peace, and he knew that politics rarely allows it. His advice is thus both personal and paternal—a shield raised to protect the innocent from the fire he himself endured.

But we must not mistake his counsel as a call to abandon civic duty. Jefferson, despite the torment, never withdrew from public service when the nation needed him. His words remind us that politics is a burden, not a delight; a necessity, not a joy. It is a realm entered not for comfort, but for sacrifice. Those who step into it must do so with open eyes, knowing they will forfeit peace in order to guard the freedom of others. Only those willing to endure torment for the sake of justice should seek its path.

The deeper meaning, O listener, is this: politics is the crucible of the common good, but it is also a fire that burns the hands of those who touch it. One must enter it with courage, not with illusions. To love politics for its own sake is vanity, but to endure its pain for the sake of others is virtue. Jefferson warns us not to take lightly the cost of public life, lest we send the unprepared into storms that will break them.

The lesson for us is plain. Do not chase political power for glory or ease, for you will find only torment. If you must engage in politics, let it be because you are willing to suffer for truth and for justice. And if you are not called to this sacrifice, then guard your peace, cherish your family, and support those who do bear the burden, rather than rushing into the fray yourself. In daily life, remember that true service often requires discomfort, and that those who rule wisely often do so at great personal cost.

Thus, Jefferson’s words endure as both warning and wisdom. Politics is torment—yes—but it is also the price of liberty. Only the strong of heart should take it up, and only for the sake of others. So let us honor those who walk that difficult road, while remembering that peace, love, and knowledge are treasures often safer found outside its gates. And when you, too, are called to choose between comfort and duty, remember: the path of politics is torment, but sometimes torment is the price of freedom.