CATEGORY: HISTORY (2 min)
Abraham Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a federal holiday . . . in the middle of the Civil War.
Despite the violence, he believed that Americans had much to be grateful for.
But Thanksgiving Day wasn’t Lincoln’s idea.
George Washington proclaimed November 26 as “a day of public thanksgiving and prayer” back in 1789.
In 2021, America seems conflicted, vulnerable, and divided about her future.
But two great presidents at two pivotal points in America’s history united the country behind one little virtue: gratitude.
This Thanksgiving, let’s follow their lead.
Start by reading George Washington’s beautiful words, penned 232 years ago.
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CATEGORY: SOCIAL ORDER (14 min)
Washington and Lincoln fought to maintain social order in America during violent periods of her history.
But according to Yuval Levin, today’s threat to our social order comes from a different place . . . passivity.
Those blips of “good news” you may have seen like declines in divorce, teen pregnancies, abortion, and teenage car fatalities may be the silver linings of some very dark clouds.
Drawing on a new report from the American Enterprise Institute, Levin argues that today “There is less social disorder . . . because there is less social life.”
Less marrying, less socializing, less driving, less sex.
Levin believes that these “pathologies of passivity” we see rising today pose more of a threat to our pursuit of happiness than the old unruly forms of disorder.
Read his essay in the Dispatch now and see if you agree with him when he says that “To opt for perfect peace and quiet is to opt for death.”
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Because our student editors and writers are bravely bringing conservative ideas to their campuses, we’re highlighting their efforts here.
How the UNC Admin Fails Us via the Carolina Review
Committee on Palestine Returns to Center of Antisemitism Controversy via the Princeton Tory
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CATEGORY: ETHICS (4 min)
There’s plenty of finger pointing these days, and scandals are as common as squirrels.
Virtue, and discussion about what it looks like, is far less common.
Which is problematic. Because virtue, not evil, gives you a destination to aim for.
If You Don’t Know Where You’re Going, You’re Lost
So let’s talk about virtue.
In this week’s archive pull, Andreas Kinneging shows why virtue matters, how our discussions about virtue have declined, and what’s at stake for a society that can’t describe the good.
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What do you think it takes to be a great leader?
American history is filled with examples of individuals who navigated America through moments of crisis.
We need a new generation of leaders who—learning from the great men of our past—can apply those timeless principles to our present challenges.
That’s why ISI is launching the George Washington Statesmanship Program: Ideas and Applications in Politics, Philosophy & Economics.
You’re invited to apply to this competitive program that will bring together a select group of twelve ISI alumni and young professionals from across the U.S. with top ISI faculty.
Throughout the program, fellows will:
- Study prominent thinkers and statesmen like Aristotle, Edmund Burke, Alexis de Tocqueville, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, and of course, George Washington
- Participate in a series of ‘modern day application’ sessions like “Civil Rights, Race, and Identity,” and “America is the World’s Technological City on a Hill”
- Enjoy a trip to Normandy to participate in the annual Tocqueville Conversations conference at Alexis de Tocqueville’s family chateau and to visit historic sights including the beaches stormed by American troops in World War II
Sessions will take place virtually on Tuesday evenings from February through May 2022. Fellows will watch a 30-minute lecture prior to each session and will engage in a 90-minute Socratic discussion with an ISI faculty member during each session.
Applications for this program close on December 3, 2021. This is a free fellowship program; however, participants are expected to pay $500 toward their travel costs for the capstone trip to Normandy.
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“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
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Thank you for reading. Share with a friend!
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