The Myths Of Rugged Individualism And The Self Made Man

All over the world, people hear about and strive to live the “American Dream.” In 1791 Thomas Paine, an intellectual revolutionary, believed that America was a diverse country that was accommodating for its people. In his book “Rights of Man” he says that in America “the poor are not oppressed, the rich are not privileged… and their taxes are few.” None of these ideals are completely true in America today.

In the wake of the Market Revolution, transportation and industrial production hit an economic boom. Not only were goods cheaper to produce through mechanical processing, but they were also marketable for much longer distances. This stimulated the economy and also brought forth a general consensus known as “republicanism”. “Republicans thought that a free society and government depended on a citizenry with the strength, independence, and virtue to perpetuate liberty.” (Watson 255). It was thought that liberty would be created in abundance if the average citizen was to do his part in living a self – sufficient life style – free from governmental assistance or influence – and demonstrate strength in financial and political perseverance. And, last but not least, they were expected to display morally inclined discretion. Only when these three necessities were fulfilled would American liberty truly endure. On that note, social changes that threatened independence, usually by weakening the financial standing of farmers, irked politically active Americans. As liberty was threatened under corrupt governmental institutions, Americans recalled the very motivation behind the

As long as America has shown it has no common sense in its decisions there has always been smart people to call out our systems and choices to put it into perspective. One such person is renowned American book writer John Steinbeck. Steinbeck’s piece “America and Americans, is the American dream even possible?” puts his opinionated view

American adopted a system of watching out for the poor that dated back to fourteenth century Europe. This plan relied on stable communities, with a responsible leader. These leaders would look out

In this era, the term “individualism” was first used. Unlike in the colonial period, many Americans now believed individuals should pursue their own self-interest, no matter what the cost to the public good, and that they should and could depend only on themselves. Americans more and more saw the realm of the private self as one in which other individuals and government should not

“Trust thyself: Every heart vibrates to that iron string” (Emerson). When you read that quote many would think it is about trusting their first instincts. The way I read it though is trust in your own decisions even if they go off the “normal” beaten path because everyone has their own path they are destined to travel on. This theory of self-reliance is shown in Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer and “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson since they both display it in following their passion in self-reliance.

Over the course of the first century and a quarter of the history of the United States of America, what it means to be an American has been defined by a number of different documents. The authors of those documents have come from varied backgrounds all searching to find their place in the growth and development of this country. At the beginning of the nation, those authors came from the English tradition of what government should look like and what those who were looking to change that government should do. When the country experienced some early growing pains, many of those same people came together again to try and develop a new system of laws for the country. As the nation grew up, it also grew apart and faced arguably the most

In comparison with other nations, America is a very autonomous country with a high capacity, which makes it a very prosperous nation. Fortunately, we have an advanced economy, developed infrastructure, and many social expenditures for our citizens, so we can provide them with some of the basic necessities denied to so many others in the rest of the world. America has policies that protect and provide for people of any age, ethnicity, religion, or gender. Correspondingly, those principles are what enables all citizens of America to have an equal chance at the American dream. In fact, at the foundation of our country, in our constitution it states, “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide

Just as a child may go on to become a powerful and independent adult, the 1790-to-1820’s was a period for the United States of America that reflected much of the same principles of growth and self-actualization. It was during these years that the whole of America was able to find a sincere sense of who they wanted to be, and how they would be just that, hence developing a greater perception of independence and self-sufficiency. Over the course of those 30 years, the United States not only transformed physically through the Louisiana Purchase but politically and socially through the “Jacksonian Era” and the rise of the “common man”.

The number of Americans taking part in the welfare system today has hit 12 million, an all-time high, proving its significance in government. Americans not on welfare complain about the unfairness it causes, but have yet to propose a better plan. Changing these government assistance programs sounds easier than it really is, because while it may rid of those who take advantage of the free money, it also leaves plenty of helpless Americans to fend for themselves. In a society where Americans are compensated for idleness through government social programs, there exist many ecclesiastical institutions striving to reclaim dependent Americans by teaching self-reliance using more organized and functional welfare programs, from which the United

Soon the collapse of the newly found leftists ideologies will lead to something catastrophic in which, like our ancestor's, will lead us, or future, generations need to pick up the pieces of a damaged nation. If the trend of low-balling traditional American cores continues, future generations will need to endure suffering and really understand what it is like to "go without". During their recreation, like many times over, that generation will re-learn the conservative ideology which build previously prosperous

In the 1780’s when America was approaching on a new era, Hector St. John de Crevecoeur and Benjamin Franklin believed that America had become the freest and most prosperous nation in the world. They went so far as to say that America had become a country unlike any other. A country that was free from things such as poverty, inequality, and all other forms of oppression, things that European nations lacked. Over the next century (1800-1900) what we saw in America was not symbols of freedom and equality for all, but instead for a select few. Instead we saw great inequality and a lack of freedom in many groups such as African Americans or slaves, women, as well as Mexicans and Native Americans. The members of these groups were met with

Possessing a sense of self-independence is an important aspect of the reality of the American Dream. In the letter, “What is an American?,” written by J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur, he describes the experience of European immigrants on the verge of becoming an American citizen. According to the author, “The American is a new man, who acts upon new principles; he must therefore entertain new ideas, and form new opinions” (Crèvecoeur 29). America will mold you into a different person. It is our destiny to

From the colonialization of America to the present, social welfare has evolved tremendously. American values during each era helped determine how the poor were to be treated. Values such as Puritan work ethic, felt that if you were not working then you were immoral. Two other values that were prominent in American’s history are individualism and capitalism. Individualism is the belief that one can succeed without the help of others while the capitalistic view felt that a free market system would help create jobs. The Judeo-Christian value comes up in our history as well and says that those who are deemed worthy morally deserve the help of others. These values shaped perspectives on social welfare. One perspective called the problem centered approach feels that it is the individual’s actions are to blame for their poverty. The other perspective is the conflict approach where it is believed that things out of our control cause poverty. This could be an economic downturn or policies that affect individuals financially.

The self-made man is often portrayed as a story of rags to riches. A person who overcomes any obstacle thrown at him/her and defies all odds. These stories incite a reaction in readers, often leaving them in awe. How can a person become so successful, even though the universe is seemingly against them? The truth Malcolm Gladwell uncovered in his novel “Outliers” is the people at the top of the ladder did not have everything stacked against them. Gladwell says that there is no such concept as a self-made man. Successful people have been helped along the way by a variety of reasons, such as how wealthy their family was, to their birth month. While I feel that there is no such thing as a self-made man because circumstance and motivation are a key factor in how successful one becomes, I feel as if a person’s luck has a lot to deal with them thriving in their career.