Poor Richard's Principle

The American Dream is in serious danger, according to Robert Wuthnow - not because of economic conditions, but because its moral underpinnings have been forgotten. In the past this vision was not simply a formula for success, but a moral perspective that framed our thinking about work and money in terms of broader commitments to family, community, and humanitarian values. Nowadays, we are working harder than ever, and yet many of us feel that we are not realizing our higher aspirations as individuals or as a people. Here Wuthnow examines the struggles in which American families are now engaged as they try to balance work and family, confront the pressures of consumerism, and find meaning in their careers. He suggests that we can find economic instruction and inspiration in the nation's past - in such figures as Benjamin Franklin, for instance, who was at once the prudent Poor Richard, the engaged public person, and the enthusiastic lover of life.

First sentence: WHEN MARK LATHAM graduated from college, he had no idea what he wanted to do next.

Year

1996

Language

English

Publisher

Princeton University Press

Editions

1

Pages

444

ISBN

9780691058955

Data source: Wikidata