The American Dream. It’s an elusive, indefinite concept, subject to alteration based on social, political, religious, and other cultural changes. Few aspects of The Dream remain constant; however, it can be argued that the rights and worth of The Individual have never been far away from the center of the debate over what constitutes The Dream.
From Aristotle’s “social contract” theory about why individuals react to circumstances in the way they do, to Albert Camus’ attempts at defining individual freedom, to John Stuart Mill’s utilitarian humanism and defense of the rights of female individuals, to the American Henry David Thoreau’s vocal support of abolition and the transcendent rights of all mankind, to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s passionate and relentless efforts to achieve equality for all Americans disregarding their race, individuals across the centuries, across the continents, have all wrestled with what it means to be an individual, yet still participate in a community.
From Aristotle’s “social contract” theory about why individuals react to circumstances in the way they do, to Albert Camus’ attempts at defining individual freedom, to John Stuart Mill’s utilitarian humanism and defense of the rights of female individuals, to the American Henry David Thoreau’s vocal support of abolition and the transcendent rights of all mankind, to Martin Luther King, Jr.’s passionate and relentless efforts to achieve equality for all Americans disregarding their race, individuals across the centuries, across the continents, have all wrestled with what it means to be an individual, yet still participate in a community.
Block, Herbert. Rugged Individualism. 1955. Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2012634740/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2016.
Rugged Individualism
A common theme in the annals of American individualist history is the Individual as a pioneering, constantly striving, self-sufficient being who is capable of exploring new territory and defeating anything standing in his way. This 1955 cartoon by Herbert Block (mentioned above) is a prime example of this American ideal; the panel depicts Alaska's entry into the Union as a State. Not all Alaskans supported this decision; notably, the Alaskan Independence Party (whose flag is depicted in the drawing, opposed to that of the United States) strongly opposed such a move. This conglomeration of various liberty-minded individuals contributes to the broader tapestry of American individualism by demonstrating how one can be in opposition to an idea, speak out against it, work to defeat it, and accept defeat humbly and without shame if the cause should fail.
See previous artifact for further reading on this topic.
See previous artifact for further reading on this topic.
An Alternative Perspective on the American Culture of Individualism
The following dissertation is a critique of Western culture and history using an Afrocentric method to examine the origins, as well as the dehumanizing consequences of the Western desire for Modernity. The concept of individualism is viewed with distrust, as a contributing factor to the dehumanization and exploitation of other races for the sake of preserving the European and Western ideal. Modernism, Marxism, Existentialism, Feminism, Post-modernism, and Post-colonialism, are addressed in dialogue with Afrocentricity, which is a method of analyzing history and culture while focusing on how they have been influenced and shaped by, and differ from, African culture.
Further reading:
https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/07/molefi-kete-asante-why-afrocentricity/?_r=0
http://astro.temple.edu/~jjoyce/afrocen.html
https://www.amazon.com/Afrocentricity-Theory-Molefi-Kete-Asante/dp/0913543799
https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/05/07/molefi-kete-asante-why-afrocentricity/?_r=0
http://astro.temple.edu/~jjoyce/afrocen.html
https://www.amazon.com/Afrocentricity-Theory-Molefi-Kete-Asante/dp/0913543799
Monteiro-Ferreira, Ana Maria. Afrocentricity and Westernity: A Critical Dialogue in Search of the Demise of the Inhuman. 2010. Umbra, www.umbrasearch.org/catalog/6512249b0f93eff21d78d0e566e7dc545ece7f56.
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Voyage Pittoresque Autour du MondeLouis Choris, a Ukrainian painter and explorer, was one of the first to visit, explore, and document the landscape and people of North America. His 1822 book, entitled "Picturesque Journey Around the World" examined the territory and history of various continents. He also documented and depicted the way of life of the Native Americans he found living in North America. His work is a tribute to the power of the individual to explore uncharted territory, and provides an outsider's glance at how individuality displayed itself among the earliest American inhabitants.
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Choris, Louis. "Voyage Pittoresque Autour Du Monde." American Journey, Wisconsin Historical Society, 1828, www.americanjourneys.org/aj-087/index.asp. Accessed 22 Nov. 2016.
Further Reading:
https://www.lib.washington.edu/preservation/conservation-1/choris
http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-087/summary/
https://www.lib.washington.edu/preservation/conservation-1/choris
http://www.americanjourneys.org/aj-087/summary/
Radisson, Pierre Esprit. "Radisson's Account of His Third Journey." American Journey, Wisconsin Historical Society, 1710, www.americanjourneys.org/aj-045/. Accessed 22 Nov. 2016.
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Pierre Esprit RadissonThis map from 1622 lays out in detail the area covered by Pierre Esprit Radisson, a French-Canadian fur trader and explorer who was one of the first white men to discover the region now known as Lake Superior, although, at the time, it was called Lac Tracy. Along with his brother Médard, he eventually founded what became the Hudson Bay Company, renowned for its shipping of furs and hats as well as other supplies to Europe from the Americas, as well as its numerous exploratory ventures. Pierre was truly an innovator, an Individual in the fullest sense of the word; he was self-sufficient as he traveled in uncharted territory for no other reason than to explore and to map out that territory for future generations.
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Further Reading:
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pierre-Esprit-Radisson
http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/radisson_pierre_esprit_2E.html
http://www.historymuseum.ca/virtual-museum-of-new-france/the-explorers/pierre-esprit-radisson-1659-1660/
A History of New York
Washington, Irving. A History of New York, from the Beginning of the World to the End of the Dutch Dynasty. New York, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1880. The Making of America. Making of America, quod.lib.umich.edu/m/moa?ALLSELECTED=1;c=moa;c=moajrnl;didno=0481139.0001.001;g=moagrp;rgn=full+text;size=25;sort=occur;start=1;subview=detail;type=simple;view=reslist;xc=1;q1=individual. Accessed 21 Nov. 2016.
In 1809, as he was mourning the death of his fiancée, famed 19th century Romantic author Washington Irving completed work on his first major text: A History of New York, published under the pseudonym of Diedrich Knickerbocker. Irving's bizarre technique for earning fame was to place false advertisements around New York City, claiming that a certain man, "Mr. Knickerbocker," had gone missing from his hotel, and offering a reward for his safe return. So many people became interested in the story of this missing fictional creation that, after the publication of this book and subsequent revelation of the truth about its author, Irving's career suddenly became quite successful. What a talented mind he possessed, to be able to create a fictional character with such vivid detail that this creation convinced nearly everyone that it was, in fact, real!
This genius is comparable to that of Orson Welles, who, nearly 100 years later than this book was published, broadcast the infamous "War of the Worlds" radio show. This fictional tale about a potential attack on the world by an alien force was so convincing that, apparently, a great portion of the American population believed it was real!
There's no doubt that someone with such talent as Irving and Orwell displayed exemplifies the American spirit of individualism, effort, talent, and success.
Further Reading:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/A-History-of-New-York
http://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/historyofnewyo00irvi
This genius is comparable to that of Orson Welles, who, nearly 100 years later than this book was published, broadcast the infamous "War of the Worlds" radio show. This fictional tale about a potential attack on the world by an alien force was so convincing that, apparently, a great portion of the American population believed it was real!
There's no doubt that someone with such talent as Irving and Orwell displayed exemplifies the American spirit of individualism, effort, talent, and success.
Further Reading:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/A-History-of-New-York
http://library.si.edu/digital-library/book/historyofnewyo00irvi
Democracy in AmericaOften rendered as simply "Democracy in America," Alexis de Toqueville's 1838 New York Publication (which literally translates as "On Democracy in America) covered the essential aspects of American idealism and individualism as they pertain to the American form of government. In particular, de Toqueville examined the political revolution that had taken place in America, to throw off the subservient chains of imperialism in favor of the rule of the majority and the rights of the individual.
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Tocqueville, Alexis De. "Democracy in America." Democracy in America. Fordham University.
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Further Reading:
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/815/815-h/815-h.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/alexis-de-tocqueville
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/815/815-h/815-h.htm
http://www.history.com/topics/alexis-de-tocqueville
http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica
A Working Club With a Large and Constantly Growing Membership
Miller, Anne Fitzhugh. A Working Club with a Large and Constantly Growing Membership. 1911. American Memory-The Library of Congress, memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/D?rbcmillerbib:8:./temp/~ammem_EwrR::@@@mdb=mcc,nfor,aap,cowellbib,calbkbib,consrvbib,vv,presp,varstg,suffrg,nawbib,mgw,musdibib,hlaw,rbpebib,aaodyssey,coolbib,fpnas,mff,mnwp,rbcmillerbib,molden,ww2map,mfdipbib,klpmap,rbaapcbib,mal,ncpm,psbib,pin,mharendt,llstbib,fawbib,berl,afcpearl,awh,awhbib,afcesnbib. Accessed 21 Nov. 2016.
This page from a 1902 Women's Suffrage scrapbook describes one man's 'conversion' to the cause of Suffrage after reading a pamphlet written by a certain professor of Hobart College on the matter. The document is relevant for many reasons, not the least of which is that the entire Suffrage movement was a declaration about the rights of the individual, and just who an individual was. Our Constitution declares that "All Men are Created Equal." These are true and honorable words, however their meaning was clouded and misapplied for nearly 150 years as women sought their rights as individuals. Arguably, there is still work to be done in this area today.
Further Reading:
http://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/the-fight-for-womens-suffrage
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/suffrage/history.htm
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/womens-suffrage/
Further Reading:
http://www.history.com/topics/womens-history/the-fight-for-womens-suffrage
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/suffrage/history.htm
http://www.loc.gov/teachers/classroommaterials/primarysourcesets/womens-suffrage/
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Bielick, Stacey, et al. "Public Perception of the Star-Spangled Banner Background Studies for the National Museum of the American History." Smithsonian. Smithsonian, www.si.edu/content/opanda/docs/Rpts1998/98.07.Banner.Final.pdf. Originally published in Smithsonian.
Prior to a 1998 restoration of the "Star-Spangled Banner" on display in the National Museum of American History in Washington DC, visitors to the museum were given one of 3 surveys, each attempting to discern the level of familiarity that visitors possessed with regard to our nation, our nation's history, and in particular, the symbol of the flag. Astonishingly, a large portion (approximately one third) of visitors to the exhibit claimed that they had never seen the image of the flag, or had seen it only once or twice, in their lifetimes. The staggering results of these surveys beg the question: What does the flag mean to Americans, and is it alarming that individuals could be so unaware of their community that they have never been exposed to the symbols that stand for it?
Further Reading:
http://www.si.edu/content/opanda/docs/Rpts1998/98.07.Banner.Final.pdf
http://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-star-spangled-banner
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-story-behind-the-star-spangled-banner-149220970/
Further Reading:
http://www.si.edu/content/opanda/docs/Rpts1998/98.07.Banner.Final.pdf
http://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-star-spangled-banner
http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-story-behind-the-star-spangled-banner-149220970/
Block, Herbert. Individual Freedoms and the Businessman. U of California, 1959.
Herbert Block was an American editorial cartoonist, most famous for coining the term "McCarthyism" with respect to Joseph McCarthy, the US senator from Wisconsin who, in the early 1950s, led an almost Inquisition-like interrogation of individuals both inside and outside the government, in an effort to root out any Communist influences in the United States. This 1934 cartoon by Block shows a professional man, standing along the fictional "Government Highway," who is overshadowed by the specter of Rugged Individualism; while the man standing by the road is busy carrying the country's problems around in a briefcase and trying to hitchhike along the highway, the rugged individual is freely moving around with a hatchet and a copy of Pilgrim's Progress.
Further Reading:
http://millercenter.org/educationalresources/hoover-rugged-individualism
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=1334
Further Reading:
http://millercenter.org/educationalresources/hoover-rugged-individualism
http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/disp_textbook.cfm?smtID=3&psid=1334