American Intellectual Hist

Horatio Alger's Success Formula

Working hard and getting lucky can lead to upward mobility in society.

Beecher Sisters' Values

*restraint, domesticity, moderation, respectability, piety, modesty, discipline, respectability, ambition, sobriety, delayed gratification

-emphasizing women's role in household management

-advocating for women's empowerment through education.

why is William Graham Sumner considered a social darwinist and conservative

1) concept of survival of the fittest —> individualism and competition as essential for societal progress (analogies from natural selection to explain the development and persistence of certain social phenomena)

2)valued pragmatic solutions in understanding exisiting social conditions (strong advocate for individualism and limited gov intervention (especially in markets))

how does Frank Lester Ward disprove sumner in sociology

Sumner emphasizes scientific approach to studying social relationships—> societies ONLY evovled through competiton best groups/individuals coming out strongest(pully yourself up by the bootstraps mentality)

Ward: writes with sumner in mind and does agree with darwinism (natural selection and individual comp) but ALSO involves cooperative approach to social development —> easy to say pull yourself up by the bootstraps when you cant do it yourself

Henry George's "Progress and Poverty"

Progress: advancement occuring during industrial rev—> increased productivity and overall econ development

Poverty: stark contrast —> benefits of progress not being shared equitably among all members of society

*shows coexistence of econ advancement and poverty

Andrew Carnegie's "The Gospel of Wealth"

Progressive in advocating for social responsibility of wealth, conservative in supporting capitalism and limited government intervention and individualism

what does jane addams think the poor as well as recent immigrants need

Emphasizes the need for education, social support (through settlements), healthcare, housing, and employment opportunities for the poor and immigrants.

breakdown in social classes —> thru settlements with diversity thru upperclass volunteers

addresses social issues from rapid industrialization/urbanization

Charles Sanders Peirce's Methods for Fixing Belief

Tenacity: holding onto a belief simply bc it has been held in the past, individuals stick to what they already believe, even in face of conflicting evidence

authority: aacept beliefs based soley on authority figures without questining or evaluating them

a priori: belief fixation involves adopting beliefs based on preconcieved notions

scientific method : involves process of inquiry, observation, experimentation and validationg thru experience

William James on is it justified to hold beliefs without sufficient evidence?

Pragmatic argument: justifying belief in things without conclusive evidence if they have practical consequences and genuine options —> leap of faith, choose to believe something

How does John Dewey connect his Critique of Philosophy with a critique of class relations

Advocates for a pragmatic approach (thru education) addressing concrete social problems, particularly inequalities stemming from class divisions.—> critiques traditional philosophy for its abstract nature

Chief Joseph vs frederick jackson turner

chief joseph: injustices faces by his people, expressed deep sense of betrayal felt by them due to US gov’s failure to honor treaties

turner: fronteir thesis, fronteir is outer edge —> meeting point between savagery and civilization (viewing natives as savages & westward expansion without discussion of land given up by indians

"Frontier Thesis" by Frederick Jackson Turner

Views the frontier as shaping American values like pragamatism, individualism, self-reliance, and adaptability.

Theodore Roosevelt's "The Strenuous Life" as a response to Turner

Response to Turner, —> fronteir experience shaped american democracy and with its disappearance, the nation needs to find new ways to define itself

ADOVCATES for vigorous and active approach to life, promotes embracing challanges —> urges americans to maintain fronteir spirit

WEB Dubois on double consciouenss

Internal conflict of being both American and black and experiencing oneself from 2 different perspectives at the same time

self: shaped by their experiences, culture, and aspirations

external: predjudices coming from mostly white society

^creates struggles of self acceptance and within a society that may not fully acknowledge their identity

Eugenicist Thinking in "The Passing of the Great Race"

Emphasizes distinct races, intelligence levels, and concerns about the decline of the "Nordic race." —> selective breeding and immigration politices

-society progresses thru the actions of great man at the head of the snake (best and brightest)

Randolph Bourne's Critique of the Melting Pot

Criticizes the melting pot concept (formless shapeless mess), advocating for cultural diversity and individuality. wants a salad bowl instead (rich tasteful variety)

melting pot = taking everyones rich varieties and boiling it down to lowest common denominator

who does Charlotte Perkins Gilman criticize in "The Yellow Wallpaper"

Criticizes her controlling husband/physician and societal gender roles restricting women.

"A Marriage Under Two Roofs" How is it radical and how is it conservative

Radical in advocating for separate lives for spouses

Conservative in upholding traditional marriage values.

Langston Hughes on African American Artists

black artists, in their pursuit of acceptance by white society, abandon their cultural roots and seek to imitate European artistic styles. —> results in the loss of authenticity and cultural identity.

black art should reflect the realities of African American existence, including both the joys and struggles of black people in America

tension between american middle class values and african americans who wanted to express their raw autehntic cultural experiences

Frederick Winslow Taylor's "Soldiering" Fix

Emphasizes training, individual development, and efficient management to address soldiering "quiet quitting."

ex: if a manager doesnt explain how long a task is then it is up to the employee to figure out how long it should be

The New Housekeeping and Taylor's Ideas

Applies principles of scientific management to household tasks for efficiency and streamlining.

Taylor’s rule of thumb —> someone learns from someone else. he tries to come in and figure out what is the most efficient thing (this is what Frederick is doing in her work!)

why does John Watson think he needs to help mothers raise their kids

Focuses on educating mothers in behaviorism to influence children's development positively

*mothers primarily responsible in child rearing in early 20th centiury society

Work and Money in Middletown

Social and monetary status intertwine, with money often defining social standing and leisure time.

ex. move to a new place and people dont know you —> but they know money

John Crowe Ransom on the South

Describes the South as the least American part due to its cultural distinctiveness and less developed capitalism (only part of america that had to completely reconstruct itself)

Relationship between the title and the political message in "Waiting for Lefty"

title: dont wait for the mysterious person to lead you to organize and protest this, do it yourself right now

message: urges immediate action against economic injustices, emphasizing solidarity and activism over waiting for change.

Neibhur's "Children of Light" and "Children of Darkness"

Contrasts “children of light” pursuing justice and the common good with those “children of darkness” prioritizing self-interest and power.

Human beings possess the capacity for both and the interplay between these tendencies shapes social and political dynamics.

define american Liberalism in Schlesingers Vital Center

Connected to centrism, it involves the rejection of totalitarianism and the reassertion of individual integrity, constituting the fundamental faith of contemporary liberalism.

key terms: pragmatism, moderation, commitment to democracy

what are Paradigm shifts

Refers to a complete change in the framework, beliefs, and practices defining a scientific discipline at a given time—> when you suddenly get a new puzzle and you can’t take parts of an old one to put in the new one you need a completely different image

What is personism and how does it relate to other mid century american art movements

personism= aims to avoid translation and emphasizes direct communication between individuals

not be burdened by elaborate metaphors or intellectual pretensions but should instead focus on the personal experiences and emotions of the poet

poetry should capture the immediacy of everyday life, drawing inspiration from the small moments and details of existence.

relation: tendency to put art on a pedestal and take the life out of it—> making everyday subject for art like any warhol with his tomato soup

Why does orientalism depend on what we now call othering

othering= construct and dominant define those they percieve as inferior thru binary oppositions

ex: civilization/barbarism, rational/irrational, modern/backward.

^to portray the East as inferior and in need of Western intervention and control

what is the end of history?

The belief that liberal democracy has triumphed as the final form of government

predicts a sense of boredom in this era—> life gets its meaning from the willingness to sacrifice yourself for the cause—> no grand causes after history—> just sitting at home

Why does Daniel Boorstin think it’s good that Americans don’t have a political philosophy?

it allows for flexibility and adaptability in governance

enables citizens and leaders to focus more on practical solutions to problems rather than being bound by ideological dogma.

norman mailers hipster? and why he act like that

50s hipsters—> white people who live this edgy lifestyle traditionally associated with black people

 *He sees the hipster's adoption of black culture and rebellious acts as expressions of a larger rebellion against mainstream society's limitations.

*main point here: the rebellious imperatives of the south

 Why, according to David Riesman, is there such sadness in the suburbs?

-complacent/comfortable/lack of individuality

-doing stuff just to conform

-apolitical space

Port Huron Statement envision the function of the university in society

intellectual freedom→ students should feel free to explore ideas and challenge norms without fear of reprisal

democratic participation→ students actively engaged in decision-making processes of institution and society at large

social responsibility→ university active role in addressing society issues like poverty/racism

catherine mackinnons views on porn

porn depicts women as sex objects for men —> reinforcing their inferior status in society & creates rape/assault sexual desires

how would allan bloom think abt american universities today

-all abt inclusion —> bc of this there is a breakdown in traditional values of american education/society

-diverse perspectives = extension of moral relativism —> undermines pursuit of truth and critical thinking

why does any warhol celebrate coca cola

-any drinks coke (from president to you to bum on street)

-we can all relate to these things in our daily lives as individuals —> its this fact that makes it remarkable to find art in day to day things

consumer culture: identity comes less from what you make, you are identified by what you consume, what you buy