Question

The textbook identifies four characteristics of ideal citizenship and concludes that only some Americans live up to them. The authors argue, however, that Americans as a group behave in a much more rational manner than one would expect from their failure to meet the characteristics. Name the four characteristics, and discuss the evidence for the authors’ conclusion that most Americans do not meet the standards. Explain how Americans as a group can behave so rationally if they are not rational as individuals.

Answer 1

Honesty, integrity, responsability and respectfulness.

The Enlightenment didn´t work

Step-by-step explanation:

The four characteristics of ideal citizenship are reasonable enough for any state or individual to try to live up with them. Nevertheless, The ideal society of reason in which the (Enlightenment) believed, was short-lived. Many people (Kant, Freud and everybody who studied social sciences) came to realise that individuals reason with their heart instead of their mind and so very seldom behave like ideal citizens.

Group pressure, though, can make individuals more reasonable.