Help Needed on an Assignment about Philosophy, "Americanness," and Nation-Worldviews
Hello all. I have a school assignment that I am working on that requires me to pose some questions related to a certain work or theme my class has looked at over the course of the semester and dialogue with those who respond. I decided to tackle Plutarch's Lives.
In his Lives, Plutarch recounts short biographies of famous Romans who lived down through the ages in order to unpack what it means to be an ideal Roman. What makes a man a true Roman can be called “Romanness” and, in Plutarch’s view, consists of a variety of virtues such as valor in battle, patriotism motivated by love for the glory of Rome, austerity, piety, ambition, and so on. Such idealizations are not limited to ancient civilizations, as every nation from ancient times to the present creates lists of such virtues that it believes all true citizens should possess. In America, this tendency most often manifests itself in appeals to the “Founding Fathers,” nostalgic reminiscences about the work ethic of men in “days gone by,” and the elevation of famous Americans who are looked at with admiration such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In light of this, I would like to ask four main questions and would appreciate any help/response you are willing to offer:
Hello all. I have a school assignment that I am working on that requires me to pose some questions related to a certain work or theme my class has looked at over the course of the semester and dialogue with those who respond. I decided to tackle Plutarch's Lives.
In his Lives, Plutarch recounts short biographies of famous Romans who lived down through the ages in order to unpack what it means to be an ideal Roman. What makes a man a true Roman can be called “Romanness” and, in Plutarch’s view, consists of a variety of virtues such as valor in battle, patriotism motivated by love for the glory of Rome, austerity, piety, ambition, and so on. Such idealizations are not limited to ancient civilizations, as every nation from ancient times to the present creates lists of such virtues that it believes all true citizens should possess. In America, this tendency most often manifests itself in appeals to the “Founding Fathers,” nostalgic reminiscences about the work ethic of men in “days gone by,” and the elevation of famous Americans who are looked at with admiration such as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In light of this, I would like to ask four main questions and would appreciate any help/response you are willing to offer:
- Is there such a thing as “Americanness,” meaning certain virtues or aspects of a man that make him an American beyond simply his being a citizen? If so, what are some examples? Freedom-loving? Peace-seeking?
- Where does this “Americanness” come from and how does a citizen embody it?
- Are there any men or women who embody what it means to truly be an American?
- Is it important for American citizens to embody these “virtues?” If so, why? If not, why not?