What I Believe the American Ideal Is
post 121
The “American Ideal” is one of the three major subjects I write about in this series. The other two are spirituality and American folk music. What fascinates me most is where they intersect.
Like everybody else, I have no monopoly on truth. But I do have a vision, and the American Ideal is a major part of it. In all of my endeavors, it is one of the yardsticks I use when making decisions.
My understanding of the American Ideal is certainly not “textbook.” On the contrary, the major source of my perspective is my personal experience of touring as an American folk musician for 30 years. Yet over the years of processing these experiences, I have been exposed to various historians and other scholars, as well as a handful of folk musicians who have their own viewpoints. Pete Seeger is one of my major sources. From him and others, I have picked out (stolen) ideas I have found wise, eloquent, and harmonious with my experiences.
So none of this is original, but it also cannot be attributed to any particular source. Nor should it be taken at face value as “correct,” for there are many other perspectives on what America is about. That said, here is what works for me:
THE AMERICAN IDEAL
We the People do not need a king, queen or prince; a pope, rabbi or imam; a dictator or autocrat; or any business or the marketplace to tell us how to run our lives IF we govern ourselves responsibly.
The justification for throwing off rule by kings and other autocrats is partially expressed in the Declaration of Independence:
…All men are created equal… (and)… endowed… with certain unalienable Rights… including… Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness… (and)… To secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.
Individually, we govern ourselves. Collectively, we govern through representation.
Let’s parse this a little, again from my very opinionated perspective. First…
WHAT IS “AMERICA”
The “America” I refer to here is not primarily a group of people or a geographical location. Nor is it the politics of the United States - the “political America.” In fact, the America I refer to is not limited to people who live in the United States, or even the Western Hemisphere. It has little to do with what country you were born in or what language you speak. It certainly has nothing to do with the color of your skin, your orientation, or how you identify.
The “America” I refer to is the philosophy, the promise, the aspiration, the ideal defined above. In addition, and just as important, is the responsibility that goes along with it. It can be argued, and I agree, that the United States was founded upon these ideals.
In his Gettysburg Address, Abraham Lincoln declared that America was founded on the principle of Liberty and the recognition that all men are created equal.
It’s worth noting that “The United States of America” is a system of government that was formed thirteen years after the birth of America. The United States does not hold a monopoly on the American Ideal, but, as the first modern nation founded on its principles, it has a special responsibility to the rest of the world.
WHY AN “IDEAL”
America has been called an “idea.” But, it’s more than that. It’s an “ideal.” The definition of an ideal is a principle, value, or standard of perfection. We strive for it. Yet, it is never fully attainable. There is always a plus factor. For if we were to attain an ideal, then what?
No matter how ideal a situation currently is, it can always be improved. If and when we reach a better place, that better place is no longer the ideal. Something even greater is.
Plato described an ideal as something beyond physical reality.
Emmanuel Kant said we must strive toward moral perfection even though, as finite beings, we can never fully achieve it. It serves as a guiding principle rather than an attainable endpoint.
Reinhold Niebuhr argued that perfect justice is impossible, but striving toward it is a moral necessity.
AND SO WE STRIVE
We strive for the American Ideal, though we never attain it. It forever remains a beacon lying somewhere just over the horizon. And with each step we take toward it, it recedes further.
One of the many tools we have to help us move toward it is the Moral Compass. Other tools include the Hammer of Justice, the Bell of Freedom, and the Song We Sing, as sung about by Pete Seeger… And me. I wrote a song called “Always Have a Song to Sing,” which builds on Pete’s song “If I Had a Hammer.” The song is now also a play.
That’s it in a nutshell. If we go a layer deeper, we can ask:
What responsibility is required for us not to need a king or autocrat to run our lives?
If there is not to be a pope, rabbi, or imam ruling us and we have freedom of religion, how do we identify and agree on what I call the Moral Compass - the guiding principles of morality, ethics, and decency that provide guardrails for our behavior - especially in the public square - and help us make rational decisions?
In 2026 and beyond, what does it mean for the government’s power to be a just power, and to be derived with the consent of the people who are governed?
For my final verse, here is a recording of my song “Always Have a Song to Sing.” It was written on the day after Election Day, 2016.
Keep the Flame Alive!
If you find this series valuable, please consider upgrading to a supporting subscriber. This way I can keep “Looking for America” free for those who cannot afford it, and continue writing and giving concerts of hope and optimism, especially in these times when a clear path through the darkness is not always easy to see.
I listened to the attached song, and it was followed by "Letter to Eve" . That seemed so very appropriate for our times. Your music is by far my favorite. The lyrics are always spot on, simultaneously timely and futuristic.
Always love reading your wonderful thoughts. You are a life long learner and great teacher. By the way, I know that ideal is real. Not forever, sometimes for a minute, sometimes years. I have experienced ideal many times. I never pursue perfect, I think that is a hurtful and negative way to strive. An honest effort is better. Being tenacious. Accepting failure as growth. Also, my tormentors and role models have been my teachers. Our Constitution and Amendments are wonderful. We as a country, as citizens, need to live them honestly and compassionate. And let Peace prevail on earth!