In this essay, Williamson discusses the interesting period of change we are in now and tells us what the younger generation should know about democracy to keep it going. Williamson says that the growing human-technology relationship, coupled with the rapid advances in technology, is moving faster than democracy can. An \u201cold v.s. new\u201d conflict. (This is a conflict McFarland also talks about with leadership techniques). I found that statement interesting because the ideals that Williamson proposes are\u2026 kind of old news. In fact, the sources of Williamson\u2019s civic virtues are historical figures and philosophers. It\u2019s an interesting balance. The futuristic advances being balanced out by long-held values. However, these long-held values are so often forgotten by so many. Being only 19, I cannot say for sure whether that was always the case or not, but this essay claims it \u201cfeels different this time\u201d (2). Awareness of others and moral humility are BIG values that I think could make a world of difference if they were more widely believed in\/genuinely considered. It really is a cognitive exercise, depending on the issue\u2026 it isn\u2019t easy. People don\u2019t like gray areas, but the US (as we\u2019ve read) has always been one BIG gray area.<\/p>\n
This gray area is shown by Lincoln and by Fredrick Douglas\u2019 description of Lincoln. How Lincoln was a prejudiced, white man. He was a \u201cpresident of white men\u201d, but he couldn\u2019t have achieved what he did (abolishing slavery, which was an amazing thing) had he been anything else. Realism = gray areas. And this is why looking at all sides of one argument, understanding that you could be wrong, and trying to think about the situations of others is SO SO SO important!<\/p>\n
**Tangent: It makes sense that this essay was written by someone who lives in Richmond. Richmond is the epitome of one of the crossroads Williamson mentions: accepting\/embracing the new reality vs using public policy to blockade that reality. The monuments are a prime example. And Kehinde Wiley\u2019s sculpture \u201cRumors of War\u201d that is about to be placed in front of the VMFA is an example of the opposition.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
In this essay, Williamson discusses the interesting period of change we are in now and tells us what the younger generation should know about democracy…<\/p>\n