John W. Gardner and Self-Renewal
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John W. Gardner wrote Self-Renewal: The Individual and the Innovative Society in 1963. That was a time of great hope for both the individual and society, before the assassination of President Kennedy (for whom Gardner worked), the Vietnam war, Watergate, and the general decline of the American Dream. The book has not stood well the test of time. Twenty-five years later, in a very changed world, Gardner's simple optimism seems naive. Of course, optimism is a good attitude for anyone hoping to live and be creative in a troubled world. However, the idea that "toughminded optimism" is "immensely important" (xii-xiii) does not make a great book, or even a great slim (127 pages of text proper) book. Gardner's work, therefore, should be viewed in its historical context and should be taken for what it is. Self-Renewal is a self-help book for the individual and for the society. He advocates all of the important values which the creative individual should hold dear, and which the society should encourage: . . . Renewal--of societies and of individuals--depends in some measure on motivation, commitment, conviction, the values men live by, the things that give meaning to their lives (xxi). Gardner also is careful in noting that "Apathy and lowered motivation are the most widely noted characteristics of a civilization in decline. Apathetic men and women accomplish nothing" (xxi). Therefore, to bring about a society in which much will be accomplished, individuals, leaders and org
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as a free society," and that "we are very far from meeting the requirements of an ever-renewing society," but adds that "both are within reach" (2).
In such statements, Gardner moves from toughminded optimism to foolishness. If anything, American society is becoming more materialistic, more fearful, more violent, more fixated on sex and scandal and mindless TV and movies. Americans are becoming less spiritual, less moral, less dedicated or committed to anything but making money and protecting their goods from others. Gardner writes that "growth and decay" are not subjects "in which simple generalizations will ever be possible" (2). However, his book is little but simple generalization. Worse, it is simple generalization which is based on hope rather than reality. For example, in the final chapter, Gardner writes that many people look at society and see the decay of morals and values. Gardner writes that "our grandfathers" thought the same thing about their society, but the "reservoir" of "virtue and justice" remains relatively full (123). It is foolishness to look at American society today, obsessed with sex, violence and money, and say that nothing has changed for generations. Again, some few individuals will prosper and inno
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Approximate Word count = 1902
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page)
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