Mary Ann Glendon's Chapter Summary

Mary Ann Glendon begins by discussing the eighteenth century and what the Founding Fathers expected America to be when they were discussing social systems, the environment and emphasis on family during that time period produced different character and personality than our environment and definition of family does today. Glendon asserts, “the market economy, too, can take a toll on society.” This quote in particular reminded me of the probing social commentary discussed in the previous chapters of Lasch, where the market, no longer relying on small-scale production can cause a loss in civic virtue because citizens focus their concerns elsewhere. Therefore, the environment that the Founding Fathers were exposed to, surrounded by small-scale production,
Where we come from is a huge part of shaping the development of our character and personality. In reading Lasch’s chapter, “Racial Politics in New York,” it reminded me of Peggy McIntosh’s hypothetical line of social justice. In sum, she argues that race, along with many other factors (race, class, gender, religion, sexuality), can serve as determinate of what side of the line you are on. Whites tend to be on the top with privilege and blacks on the bottom with disadvantage. Thus, one could conclude that two different developments of character and personality arise. Due to the environment that whites are in, they possess qualities of success, opportunity, and good education. Whereas blacks, due to the environments they are exposed to are qualities of crime, violence, and poor education. Therefore, I could argue that although Sleeper is correct when he argues that New York should stress the problem of class divisions as opposed to racial divisions, I believe those class divisions result from racial inequality. However, within that state, although there is social inequality, Lasch would defend that we must commit to being respecting, self-reliant, and responsible, or else we truly have no chance in equalizing or advancing our democratic society. With a heavy emphasis on inequality comes to the challenge of how to approach education and what should be taught in the classroom. Lasch argues that with the