Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
During several recent years, we heard a lot about something which is called traditional American values. We hear about it in every political campaign and as the subject of controversy and debate in the news. But what do we mean when we say traditional American values?
Definition
Traditional values are values that were embraced by the nation from its earliest beginnings and throughout the history of the United States. These values were a great part of what made the United States a free and great nation and with their absence, the country would likely result in the decline.
Free and strong nation
Traditional American values include faith in God, which has been the foundation of other national traditions, such as diligent work ethics, respect, and honor for the family, honesty in business practices, absolute values of right and wrong, respect toward authority, marriage as a prerequisite before having bearing a child or having sex, wholesomeness in leadership, moderation rather than excess, taking responsibility to provide for our own family, a family which consists of both a father and mother and so forth.
Those values were the ethics of the national heritage which civilized the population and installed maturity and character. Thanks to these values, people learn how to have manners, to be generous and honest, to behave, to considerate of others, and good morals. They were also taught the benefits of hard work, responsibility, and discipline. This was the sort of thing which caused families to succeed, marriages to last, and which made the nation free and strong. Today, many political leaders are trying to renovate these traditional values and not only for faith in God.
Decline of the traditional values
The politicians see that these values generally held by believers in the past are the cure for the sickness of today’s nation. Politicians also see it as a cure for many costly government social programs. The government almost bankrupt in an attempt to fix the ills of society which were produced by the absence of traditional values, such as deadbeat dads, abortion, litigation abuse, drug abuse, abandoned children, unwed mothers, the spread of AIDS, abandoned elderly, welfare abuse, lack of discipline in the schools, failure of education, and etc.
Each of these woes is a result of a society without values. It is said that America goes the same historical path which led to the collapse of the Roman Empire. One historian gave the reason which led to the fall of Rome. These reasons include excessive spending by the government, the unwillingness of young men to defend their country, luxury life, widespread immorality that destroyed the integrity of family life, the spread of homosexuality and other gender confusions, and disregard for religion.
Unfortunately, these are the symptoms of American society. So, will America follow Rome’s path or maybe find a way to revive traditional values? It is hard to tell. Hopefully, the nation will heed the warning on time and accept the traditional American values, which created this great country.
