Habits of the Heart Individualism and Commitment in American Life

Type :

Book review

Pages :

9 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

02/20/2009

Category :

Political science

Sub category :

Social sciences

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Summary :

Introduction.
The foundation that individualism was built upon.
The question: Whether commitment is possible in light of the present reality we have constructed?
1. A direct result of the historical swell of large cities.
2. A public managerial individualism.
3. Commitment and extreme self-sacrifice.
4. Our inability to commit.
5. Bellah's prescriptive for rectifying the situation.
6. Habitual practices with regard to religion, politics and economic life.
Reactionary responses as destructive tools.
The example of the Civil Rights movement.
The market economy and consumerism.
Conclusion.
References.

Abstract

Robert Bellah's habits of the heart individualism and commitment in american life chronicles the history, definition and present condition of individualism in America, and how it has affected the lives of modern society. Bellah attempts to define individualism by mapping its evolution in America and illustrating how the present condition it finds itself in is a perverted version of a basic republican value. The foundation that individualism was built upon and "lies at the very core of american culture" (Bellah 142), is the belief in the intrinsic, "dignity, indeed the sacredness, of the individual. Anything that would violate our right to think for ourselves, judge for ourselves, make our own decision, live our lives as we see fit, is not only morally wrong, it is sacrilegious" (Bellah l41). However, as time and history marches on, the individualism that we hold near and dear has taken on an identity that is far removed from its original intent. The singular entity that our culture encourages seems to result in a self-destructive tendency defeating the purpose of its own tenor.