The American Ethic of Success

America was founded on the idea of liberty, and it succeeded because Americans highly valued individualism and achievement. But when philosophers today talk about ethics, they mostly talk about self-sacrifice, togetherness, and kindness. Do Americans still value achievement?

This talk assesses the state of American culture today by looking at how Americans talk about ethics when they are talking about big decisions—in looking back on life and in advising graduates who are looking forward.

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