Extreme Virtue

Crispin Sartwell

Description

Extreme Virtue presents a new and radical approach to the problems of leadership and virtue in public life. Originating in the author's newspaper writing about the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal, the book grapples with what has gone wrong in the American political system and describes what we should look for in our leaders. Sartwell argues that the real problem is a pervasive lack of truth in political leaders and that more can be accomplished by straight talk than by polling and focus groups.

The book consists of biographical portraits of five great Americans: anarchists Emma Goldman and Voltairine de Cleyre, conservative senator Barry Goldwater, Lakota spiritual leader John Fire Lame Deer, and black nationalist Malcolm X. The author argues that what makes these figures distinctively American is that each shares a suspicion of power and a vision of individual liberation. Despite their distinctive and unique approaches, each person is a model of truth in public life.

Introduction

1. Emma's Passion (Commitment)

2. Voltairine de Cleyre: Priestess of Pity and Vengeance (Self-Reflection)

3. Barry Goldwater: Bastard Out of Arizona (Integrity)

4. Lame Deer: Spiritual Adventurer (Connectedness)

5. Furious Purity: Malcolm's Truth

Afterword

Index

Sujets

• Philosophie
• Éthique et morale
• Ethique et morale

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 février 2012
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9780791486191
• Langue: English

Extrait

Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Crispin Sartwell Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame DeerMalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX virtue Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  MalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire LameDeerMalcolmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  T Joh R n Fi U re L T ame H Deer A  M N alco D lmX Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X L E A D E R S H I P I N Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X F I V E G R E A T Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X extreme Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X A M E R I C A N L I V E S Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X Emma Goldman  Voltairine de Cleyre  Barry Goldwater  John Fire Lame Deer  Malcolm X

Extreme Virtue

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Extreme Virtue

Truth and Leadership in Five Great American Lives

Crispin Sartwell

State University of New York Press

Published by State University of New York Press, Albany

© 2003 State University of New York

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.

For information, address the State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207

Production by Michael Haggett Marketing by Anne M. Valentine

Library of Congress CataloginginPublication Data

Sartwell, Crispin, 1958– Extreme virtue : truth and leadership in five great American lives / Crispin Sartwell. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-5879-2 (hc : alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7914-5880-6 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Virtues—Case studies. 2. Conductor of life—Case studies. 3. Leadership—Moral and ethical aspects—United States—Case studies. I. Title.

B11547.4.S37 2003 179'.9'092273—dc22

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

2003058128

Dedicated to the memory of Richard Abell, and the hope embodied by his grand-daughter, Jane Winik Sartwell.

Thanks to Lynn Gorchov, who read the manuscript in its entirety and suggested many alterations, and to Marion Winik, who did the same.

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Introduction

Contents

Chapter 1. Emma’s Passion (Commitment)

Chapter 2. Voltairine de Cleyre: Priestess of Pity and Vengeance (Self-Reflection)

Chapter 3. Barry Goldwater: Bastard Out of Arizona (Integrity)

Chapter 4. Lame Deer: Spiritual Adventurer (Connectedness)

Chapter 5. Furious Purity: Malcolm’s Truth

Afterword

Index

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Introduction

To admire someone deeply can change your life. This book is about the public figures I most deeply admire, people whose lives have informed and transformed mine: anarchist leaders Emma Goldman and Voltairine de Cleyre, arch-conservative politician Barry Goldwater, Lakota Sioux holy man John Fire Lame Deer, and black nationalist Malcolm X. These five very different people embody distinct facets of civic virtue and of the meaning of leadership. But I believe the stories of their lives also coalesce into a coherent understanding of these matters. Here I introduce these people and the account of civic virtue that will be implicit throughout this book, culminating with the idea of truth as the cardinal virtue in public life.

C IVIC  V IRTUE AND  P UBLIC  P ERSONS

The idea for this book originated in my reflection and newspaper writing about the Monica Lewinsky scandal. I had quite a complicated reaction to the revelation that President Clinton had had an affair with an intern in the Oval Office. Practically no one would regard that act as morally defensible, and yet as the congressional Republicans lambasted Clinton’s character and declared that his behavior disqualified him to lead the country, it struck me that many people who are widely and rightly ad- mired—Martin Luther King Jr., Thomas Jefferson, John F. Kennedy, and so on—did things that were similar, as did some of Clinton’s rabid ac- cusers. For me,l’affaire Lewinskydid not itself disqualify Clinton from being a man of civic virtue. But something else did. What I found viscerally despicable about Clinton is that I didn’t believe that he believed what he was saying. My

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