Richardcyoung.com

  • Home
  • Debbie Young
  • Jimmy Buffett
  • Key West
  • Your Survival Guy
  • How We Are Different
  • Paris
  • About Us
    • Foundation Principles
    • Contributors
  • Investing
    • You’ve Read The Last Issue of Intelligence Report, Now What?
  • The Great Reset
  • The Swiss Way
  • My Rifles
  • Dividends and Compounding
  • Your Security
  • Dick Young
  • Dick’s R&B Top 100
  • Liberty & Freedom Map
  • Bank Credit & Money
  • Your Survival Guy’s Super States
  • NNT & Cholesterol
  • Your Health
  • Ron Paul
  • US Treasury Yield Curve: My Favorite Investor Tool
  • Anti-Gun Control
  • Anti-Digital Currency
  • Joel Salatin & Alfie Oakes
  • World Gold Mine Production
  • Fidelity & Wellington Since 1971
  • Hillsdale College
  • Babson College
  • Artificial Intelligence Opposed
  • Contact Us

American Culture is Norman Rockwell Not Constitutional Scholars

September 21, 2018 By Richard C. Young

By Anna Om @ Shutterstock.com

Writing at The American Conservative, Emile Doak explains that even though America is a young nation, with an underdeveloped culture, those cultural practices Americans do have should be cherished as pieces of the “American idea.” He writes (abridged):

This past weekend, there was a wedding some 4,000 miles away that nonetheless captivated the American psyche. Across the country, bars opened early, women donned ornate hats, and talk shows gossiped about every detail of a quintessentially British tradition. Yes, the bride was American. Yes, the ceremony indulged more modern accommodations than any of its regal predecessors. Yet despite these moves way from tradition, the spectacle remained unmistakably British. It reflected the culture, tradition, and mores of a specific national identity.

But what are these cultural elements? In his 2009 hit “It’s America,” country singer Rodney Atkins, not exactly an expert in the finer points of the “American idea,” nonetheless provides a clearer understanding of American identity than many constitutional scholars do. Throughout the song, Atkins sketches a view of America based on a list of cultural practices:

Driving down the street today I saw a sign for lemonade
They were the cutest kids I’d ever seen in this front yard
As they handed me my glass, smiling thinking to myself
Man, what a picture-perfect postcard this would make of America

It’s a high school prom, it’s a Springsteen song, it’s a ride in a Chevrolet
It’s a man on the moon and fireflies in June and kids selling lemonade
It’s cities and farms, it’s open arms, one nation under God
It’s America

The Norman Rockwell-esque picture painted by Rodney Atkins shouldn’t be taken as prescriptive for America’s cultural ills. After all, lemonade and Chevrolets don’t exactly constitute the thickest of culture. But perhaps that’s the point. Ours is a young nation whose very genesis was a repudiation of established tradition, so it’s wholly unsurprising that the United States would have a thin culture. Yet if we care about our home, if we want this to remain “the land we love above all others,” we must preserve these seemingly trivial, uniquely American practices. They are, after all, what make us American.

Read more here.

Originally posted on August 23, 2018.

If you’re willing to fight for Main Street America, click here to sign up for my free weekly email.

Related Posts

  • Constitutional Scholars
  • Buy American, Hire American
  • American Job Creators
  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Richard C. Young
Richard C. Young
Richard C. Young is the editor of Young's World Money Forecast, and a contributing editor to both Richardcyoung.com and Youngresearch.com.
Richard C. Young
Latest posts by Richard C. Young (see all)
  • DONBAS: Russian Tanks Face Gauntlet of Death from Javelin Wielding Ukrainians - May 12, 2025
  • No Surprise: Lindsey Graham Wants a War with Iran - May 12, 2025
  • Abusing the Constitution - May 12, 2025

Dick Young’s Must Reads

  • We’ll Burn the Place Down!
  • The Government Attack on Americans’ Independence
  • What’s the Best Survival Currency?
  • Joel Salatin Can Help Americans Beat Food Inflation
  • Washington Is the Systemic Risk
  • Marry Compound Interest, Divorce Market Timing
  • Democracy: The Most Dangerous and Insidious Effect of Majority Rule.
  • My Battle-Hardened Stock Market Strategy for the Worst of Times
  • Are You Looking for Investment Counsel? 2 Questions
  • V4 Stands Against North African and Middle Eastern Invasion

Our Most Popular Posts

  • MIA: Progressive Climate Dogma
  • HELP: I’m Caught in the Tariff Crossfire, Part 2
  • JFK's Peace Died with Him
  • Americans Need Spending Cuts, not Tariffs or Taxes
  • Was Mike Waltz Working with Israel to Set Trump Up?
  • Got Cash?
  • Can States Nullify Federal Laws?
  • Donald Trump and Cryptocurrency Controversy
  • Houthis Target Israel Again
  • DOGE at CMMS: "Where the Big Fraud Is Happening"

Compensation was paid to utilize rankings. Click here to read full disclosure.

RSS Youngresearch.com

  • Prior Planning: Thank You, Mom
  • U.S. and China Slash Tariffs in 90-Day Trade Truce
  • Semiconductor Market Sees Strong Yearly Growth
  • Why Some States Paid Double for Power in 2024
  • Survive
  • GLE Advances ‘Holy Grail’ of Enrichment
  • Reusable Hypersonic Era Takes Off Again
  • Fusion Milestone: ITER Magnet System Finished
  • More Young Adults Diagnosed with Cancer
  • May RAGE Gauge: Survive

RSS Yoursurvivalguy.com

  • Prior Planning: Thank You, Mom
  • TOTAL RESET: Trump Announces Progress with China
  • Stock Market Crowd: Prepare for Your Retirement Life
  • Survive
  • Investing Mistakes to Avoid: #1 Y-O-U
  • Mike Rowe Keeping Families Together
  • May RAGE Gauge: Survive
  • Investing Mistakes to Avoid: #2 Tomorrowland
  • Drone Wars: US and China Showcase Next-Gen Microwave Weapons
  • Solving America’s Missile Shortage

US Treasury Yield Curve: My Favorite Investor Tool

My Key West Garden Office

Your Retirement Life: Traveling the Efficient Frontier

Live a Long Life

Your Survival Guy’s Mt. Rushmore of Investing Legends

“Then One Day the Grandfather was Gone”

Copyright © 2025 | Terms & Conditions | About Us | Dick Young | Archives