The Evolution of American Self

The American Self is the common character and values of American people which evolved depending on governmental philosophy, religious belief, and economical aspiration from beginning of its formation to the present. Any of the change in the above factors would contribute to the evolution of the American Self. Over time, the American Self changed from communalism, whole hearted religious faith, and interest in material goods to individualism, self interests, and greed.

The American Self depended on the governmental philosophy held by its early colonial leaders, the Founding Fathers, and the later elites who governed the nation. The Puritans were theocratic; the early Puritans based their governmental philosophy on their religious view to Augustine. Augustine advocated the original sin and the sin is inside of the self. "Because of the innate depravity of humankind, nobody, not even authorities of the community was trusted to act selflessly for the public good."[42] Therefore, the Puritans allowed church members to vote for officials, and "members of society were responsible for keeping each other in line."[42] Much alike to the Puritans, the Founding Fathers based their idea on Greeks and Roman city-sites, and they "knew that the self could not be trusted..." [42]. According to this philosophy, the founders built America "by allowing communities to be self-governing, and with the federal government monitoring from a distance."[43] Thus, politically, the American Self in the beginning was communalism. As time went on, by the Revolutionary era, communalism revealed its sinister side. "Communities were too parochial, elites grumbled, and, as Alexander Hamilton often pointed out, dangerous to the preservation of the Union."[4...

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...for others and the benefit of the society. Spirit drove people to love their neighbor and help the poor. However, as time passed, so did the American self. "Egotism, ruthless, business practices, promiscuity, workaholism--their overarching commonality is a sigh of a forgotten inner life."[47] And, the words of Jesus became "I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink."[47]

During the three centuries, the Americans' governmental philosophy changed from communal living to more federalism. The religious faith shifted from internal to external, and devotion to God changed to a greedy search for material good. People's value was changed and it is still changing and redefining the American self.

Work Cited

Maddox, Robert J., comp. American History. 18th ed. Vol. 1.

N.p.: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin, 2004. 42-47.