West Coast American Leadership Academy

Political Science 5 – Western Political Thought

Spring 2016 / Fall 2016 – Power Point 4

1. Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Self Reliance”

2. Henry David Thoreau’s “Walden”

3. Seneca Falls.

4. Sojourner Truth

5. Progressive Movements

6. Modern Methods Of Influencing Culture

Course Lecture Topics

“Self Reliance” (1)

1. Emerson was an essayist, poet and popular lecturer.

2. “The American Scholar” lecture 1837 was an “intellectual

Declaration of Independence” one person called it in its

call for American to put the old world culture aside to

explore our own American uniqueness.

3. Also, lectured on the “Over-soul” pantheistic idea. The

“Self-Reliance” essay is call for individual nonconformist

and cultivation of the individual.

“Self Reliance” (2)

Textual References:

• What is the role of subjectivity? (“private

heart….genius….” = subjective introspection).

• What do great works of art teach us? (“to abide by our

spontaneous impression”).

• Interpret (“Accept the place divine Providence has found

for you…. Great men have always done so….

transcendent destiny….” = Puritan theology? Place in

history?).

• Reflections on Locke or Paine? (“Society everywhere is

in conspiracy…. conformity….”).

• Who might be today’s Public Intellectual(s)?

Progressive Movements (1)

This is the famous march onWashington DC where Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. madehis famous “I Have A Dream”speech. Many of you havewatched just the speech inpast classes or at home.What makes this videointeresting is that it is notclipped. This was shown tothe nation in its entirety.Enjoy the video.

I Have A Dream

Progressive Movements (2)

Producer Richard D. Heffner ofthe NBC Sunday televisionprogram "The Open Mind"interviews King and formerfederal Judge J. WatiesWaring, who wrote the soledissenting decision againstschool segregation in Briggs v.Elliott. NAACP youth secretaryHerbert Wright helped enlistKing for this NBC NegroHistory Week program on"The New Negro." Heffner'sfirst question followed a briefintroduction of his two guests.

The Open Mind

“Walden” (1)

• Emerson’s friend. Carpenter, mason, painter, surveyor

sailor, gardener.

• Went to Walden. “In wilderness is the preservation of the

world.” Father of the environmental movement.

• Essay on civil disobedience, regarding the Mexican War.

Both Gandhi and King read this essay. “If the law is of

such a nature that it requires you to be an agent of

injustice to another, then, I say, break the law….”

“Walden” (2)

Textual references:

• Key quote? (“The mass of men lead lives of quiet

desperation.”)

• Old vs. the new? ( ref. Emerson…. “wore a path”)

• Spartanism? (“to live deliberately”… “Simplicity, simplicity,

simplicity!”)

• Rebellion against conformity & materialism.

• Nature as an ideal.

Definitions

Abolitionist – A person who promotes abolition of a law or

policy; especially, slavery or capital punishment.

American abolitionist movement in the 19th century. See

John Brown, abolitionist zealot. Background: Methodist

secularization of religious ideas relates the concept of

natural law of the Enlightenment to abolitionist goals.

Sojourner – A person who takes up brief residence in a

place, then moves on.

Suffragette – A person who promotes suffrage. Suffrage is

the right to vote; the franchise (privilege or right granted

by a government).

Propaganda

“Meet King Joe” is a classic capitalist

propaganda film from 1949 that tries to

convince American workers of their

good fortune. At the time of production,

American business was the best in the

world resulting from the worldwide

devastation following World War II.

Capitalism stresses the necessity for

capitalists to remain in pursuit of ever-

increasing levels of efficiency and

innovation that in turn will allow

continuous societal progression. How

does this propaganda cartoon contrast

with “Walden?”

Meet King Joe

Propaganda & Commercialism

Private business utilizes propaganda to

market products and services through

various methods. Television remains

the best method of content distribution

even though the Internet continues to

claim greater market share. This is the

famous Pepsi commercial starring

Britney Spears and Senator Bob Dole.

Though the commercial is selling

“Pepsi” one may notice the patriotic

symbolism tying the “company” with the

United States. The first airing of this

commercial was in March 2001.

Britney Spears & Bob Dole

Pepsi Commercial 2001