What Wildfires Can Teach Us About Preserving the American Ethos

Illustration via Canva AI. Greek prytaneion, town hall of a Greek city-state, normally housing the common altar or hearth of the community.

Foreword

In business and economics, many struggle to balance daily demands with understanding the purpose of it all. The American sense of purpose is complex but generally includes the aspirations of American democracy, individualism, and opportunity. These are three pillars of the American ethos, and they supplement the pillar which bares the most weight of the proverbial prytaneion, the pursuit of happiness. Consider the pursuit of happiness as a fourth pillar, the dominant pillar of the American ethos, which bears too much weight. Creating a stable and happy governance for the growth and strengthening of American purpose requires evenly distributing weight among the three supporting pillars of democracy, individualism, and opportunity.

This essay will use the term "American purpose" to refer to the pride and trust that societal institutions support the American ethos. Three sections will cover three supporting pillars, but ideas of the other pillars will be comfortably intertwined. As you will see in the following essay, the issues are interrelated and have deep roots. Preceding analysis of these three pillars so integral to American purpose, Evan Osnos, author of Political Spark that Ignited Firestorm Across Dry, Divided Land, analyzes a question journalist John Gunther asked Americans in the 1940s: "What do you believe in most?" Among many answers were "Thomas Jefferson," "God," "a high tariff," "a low tariff," and "good roads," but most prominently, the answer he received was "the people, if you give them an even break." Looking at the American ethos in the context of society today, have Americans lost their sense of purpose?

Unexpected Solutions

In 1949, a forest fire erupted in Mann Gulch, Montana. A group of fifteen smokejumpers led by a foreman named Wag Dodge was parachuted in to fight the fire. The fire quickly spread, moving over six hundred feet per minute, faster than most people could run. All fifteen firefighters were trapped, with no way out. Dodge knew they would never be able to outrun the fire and reach the top of the ridge in time. So, he decided to stop, light a match, and start a fire at his own feet. Flames flickered and danced, encircling him in a blazing inferno. His idea was that if he burned the fuel around him, the fire would reach him without anything left to burn, making him safe. This technique was coined "Escape Fire" and was used as an image for the 2012 titular healthcare documentary, subtitled The Fight to Rescue American Healthcare, to illustrate the need for unexpected solutions to solve the most pressing problems.

The fire burned through land not dissimilar to the dry fields of California, once called the "verdant valley" by the Ba-lo Kai people. When farmer Glenn Kile swung his hammer, accidentally sparking the most extensive wildfire California has ever seen,[1] he was not seen guilty. The vast, dry land was waiting to light, and California litigation ruled Kile not liable. Their conclusion: the roots of the issues ran too deep for Kile to be held responsible.

Dodge’s fire demonstrates that sometimes, to solve a problem, people need to look for surprising solutions. And sometimes those solutions are right at our feet. Kile’s fire suggests that issues, such as those related to American purpose, result from many interconnecting factors that societies cannot easily solve. On society, Mao Zedong said: "A single spark can start a prairie fire" (Osnos).

Pillar I: Democracy

Civic engagement is essential for the growth and strengthening of democracy in America. A paper titled Civic Engagement and the Transition to Adulthood claims today's young adults are less likely to engage in civic activities such as voting than their counterparts in the 1970s (Department of Education, 2010). In more recent data, the average score from a 2022 eighth-grade national civics assessment was nine points lower than the average in 2014. (U.S. News, 2023). An American entrepreneur and presidential candidate, Vivek Ramaswamy, believes his proposed solution will reclaim civil engagement and pride among young Americans. He proposed a constitutional amendment to increase the voting age from 18 to 25, with the provision that 18-year-olds can still vote if they either pass the same civics test required for immigrants to become naturalized citizens or complete six months of military or first responder service. He argues that the youth voter turnout is low, and reinstating civic duty can instill a sense of pride in the nation among young people and encourage them to vote.

Pillar II: Individualism

In his work titled The Acquisitive Society, R.H. Tawney, wrote:

But to say that the end of social institutions is happiness, is to say that they have no common end at all. For happiness is individual, and to make happiness the object of society is to resolve society itself into the ambitions of numberless individuals, each directed towards the attainment of some personal purpose.

Attributing the sole purpose of institutions such as the federal government to the pursuit of individual happiness can lead to a fragmentation of society. If society's primary goal is to maximize individual happiness, it breaks down into countless personal ambitions. The mention of happiness resonates with American ethos. However, Tawney might suggest that society's purpose should extend beyond individual happiness to encompass collective well-being.

Emphasis on the happiness of the collective may appear threatening to the American ideal of rugged individualism. However, one could argue that it serves the individual's self-interest. If the nation is more content, it can create a ripple effect that boosts happiness. "Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly," said Martin Luther King Jr, an idea he called the "single garment of destiny." Happiness can be both an individual and societal pursuit (Osnos).

One must evaluate if the single garment of destiny is compatible with human nature. Adam Smith argues in The Theory of Moral Sentiments that people feel empathy towards others, experiencing discomfort in their own eyes when seeing someone else's sore eyes. Smith noted that the eye, even of the strongest person, is more vulnerable than any other part of the weakest person's body. He writes, "Pity and compassion are words appropriated to signify our fellow-feeling with the sorry of others." His theory contributes to the idea that natural observation allows humans to feel other's pain.

Pillar III: Opportunity

Some believe that America is not the same land of opportunity it once was. Although the underlying problems have complex origins, for this discussion, we can narrow down one specific issue: the American outlook on opportunity. Returning to the earlier view that "[Americans] believe in the people, if given a chance," many Americans today do not express that same sense of collectivism or belief in their counterparts. Many believe society never gave them a fair chance to succeed.

Whether it's racial inequality, economic injustice, or political unrest, these problems cannot be solved by any person or group. Instead, they require a coordinated effort from all of us to address and overcome. Issues in the United States are often the result of centuries of systemic inequality and injustice and cannot be solved overnight. But this should encourage us to take action to address them. We must recognize that progress will be slow and incremental but that every step towards a more just and equitable society is in the right direction.

As a nation, we confront numerous challenges, but our strength lies in the diversity of our people and ideas. Our power comes from the ability to draw on the unique perspectives and experiences of people from all walks of life. This diversity makes us resilient in the face of adversity and gives us the ability to overcome even the most daunting challenges.

Bolstering Pillars I-III: The Pursuit of Happiness

If this exploration aimed to answer, "Have Americans lost their sense of purpose?" one could examine the integrity of the pillars of democracy, individualism, and opportunity. To review, it has been claimed that a lack of civic engagement has weakened democracy, focus on individualism has narrowed our capacity to care for others, and long-standing cultural divisions overshadow opportunities. Pillars I-III, democracy, individualism, and opportunity are still prevalent in American discourse, suggesting their endurance. Assuming pillars I-III are crucial to a sense of American purpose, the lack of trust and engagement in these pillars indicates that Americans deviate from the original sense of purpose that formed the American ethos.

In an effort to modernize the American prytaneion, the country can harness the strengths of America's three founding pillars. Despite appearing counterintuitive, the following solutions, like lighting a fire beneath one's feet, can be effective.

Greater civic engagement is crucial to bolster the pillar of democracy. Political minds may contribute by creating ways to increase pride and joy in civic participation. A study from the Association for Psychological Science states that states with more civic pride were happier, suggesting that civic engagement contributes to pursuing happiness. (Association for Psychological Science, 2011).

Counterintuitively, the solution for the pillar of individualism could be a greater understanding of collectivism: Martin Luther King Jr.'s idea of American interconnectedness on the single garment of destiny. Collectivism decreases an individual's emphasis on pursuing individual happiness, true, but a study titled, Valuing Happiness is Not a Good Way of Pursuing Happiness, but Prioritizing Positivity is: A Replication Study, claims:

Pursuing happiness may be counterproductive for several reasons: because people might have high, unrealistic standards that are too difficult to attain, because they might focus continuously on their level of happiness instead of just behaving normally, or because they might use inefficient methods to achieve happiness. (National Library of Medicine, 2021)

Not embracing individualism may seem against the American ethos, but it may contribute to the grand pursuit of happiness.

As to questioning opportunity in modern American society, it is valuable to see Americans participating in a connected story. Its diverse population has shaped the United States, each contributing unique thoughts and skills. A recent emphasis on diversity has sparked debate on whether opportunity is self-made. Counterintuitively to this perspective, it is crucial that America instead doubles down on diversity of thought and cultures. Every team requires individuals with unique skill sets to solve unprecedented problems. Similarly, America must embrace diversity, as every background offers a distinct set of skills that can address any challenge the country may encounter.

In conclusion, American purpose is multifaceted and requires a balance between the three supporting pillars of democracy, individualism, and opportunity. The issues that plague American society today are interrelated and run deep, requiring unexpected solutions that challenge the status quo. Ultimately, it is essential to recognize that pursuing happiness cannot be the sole purpose of societal institutions, as it is individualistic and can lead to a fragmented society. Instead, a shared drive that benefits all Americans is needed to create a harmonious and stable governance that supports happiness. Solutions such as increasing civic engagement, collectivism, and embracing diversity can facilitate the American ethos.

[1] The fire burned in 2019. It is the biggest California wildfire to publishing date, 2023. 

Works Cited

"Civic Engagement and the Transition to Adulthood." Department of Education, files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ883084.pdf. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

Joseph, Chief. "1897 Speech to Congress." Foundations of Business Thought, by Calvin M. Boardman et al., 10th ed., Los Angeles, SAGE, 2023. Speech.

"National Pride Brings Happiness—But What You're Proud of Matters." Association for Psychological Science, www.psychologicalscience.org/uncategorized/national-pride-brings-happinessbut-what-youre-proud-of-matters.html. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

Osnos, Evan. "Political Spark That Ignited Firestorm across Dry, Divided Land." The Harvard Gazette, 19 Oct. 2021, news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2021/10/when-americans-lost-their-vision-for-the-common-good/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.

Smith, Adam. "From: The Theory of Moral Sentiments." Foundations of Business Thought, by Calvin M. Boardman et al., 10th ed., Los Angeles, SAGE, 2023. Originally published in The Theory of Moral Sentiments, .

Tawney, R. H. "From: The Acquisitive Society." Foundations of Business Thought, by Calvin M. Boardman et al., 10th ed., Los Angeles, SAGE, 2023. Originally published in The Acquisitive Society, .

"Valuing Happiness Is Not a Good Way of Pursuing Happiness, but Prioritizing Positivity Is: A Replication Study." National Library of Medicine, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8588931/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023.