Virtuous Citizenry In The United States

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Do we view virtuous citizenry differently now than our founding fathers did back in the day? Has our understanding been diluted through generations? The obscure thoughts and actions of people overtime has ever so slightly changed the meaning of a virtuous citizen. It has become more about judging others on their appearance rather than helping them in an optimistic way; we are moving farther away from the idea of helping others and closer towards singling people out for their flaws. I think today, we should exercise the freedoms that the Constitution holds along with the ethics of our founding fathers; we will be a virtuous people and lift others up constantly through our actions. Back in the time of Jefferson and Lincoln, people were much more …show more content…
You could not have a corrupt government and a successful country. The government had only enough control to give the people what they needed. The rest was left up to the people in making the crucial decisions. The only way for people to mature is for them to make their own decisions—not letting the government make decisions for them. We, as people, have developed in a way that has not only hurt us individually, but the nation as well. The government needs to redefine virtuous citizenry by setting the example. While it can have part to do with ethics, it needs to have the same focus that Jefferson and Lincoln did—focusing on everyone’s potential.
Virtuous citizenry in Jefferson’s and Lincoln’s time focused on the working citizen helping the common good with economic and social equality that lead to a successful political system as well as virtuous citizens. Politics can either …show more content…
It focuses on the morals of people mostly while still ever so slightly focusing on the general political system. Virtually citizens are made through the image that we see people as. This can be a good or a bad thing. Good in the way that the morals of the average person may rise or poor in the way that we my judge others for their flaws when we should be perfecting ourselves. People see a virtuous citizen as being someone who may achieve the American dream. People go about the path of providing for their families and teaching their children the morals that they believe are satisfactory. These ethics are passed down through generations and evolve through their kids. Our focus today needs to change. We need to be setting goals to look after the well-being of others before ourselves to help the common good. Hatzenbuehler goes on to say, “there is no virtue without citizens; create citizens, and you will have everything you need.” Undermining our fellow man and focusing on one thing, morals, will slowly tear down and destroy each one of us individually as it will lead to judgments. Everything starts out with virtue, we need to move toward becoming the perfect citizen. (Hatzenbuehler, 2016, p.
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