Took in at Riverview Theater last night True Grit – 10 Academy nominations. Must try to muster “true grit” for blogging as administrator daughter Anastasia insists. Enjoyed the movie – a lot of western themes part of mythology regarding the American West – guns blazing with rugged individualism displayed, amidst lonesome vistas. Western reality, as I recall in a seminar setting with my students, is rather complex determining what is stereotype and what is fact.
True Grit
Published by profbartling1
Retired professor Concordia University, St. Paul, Mn. Taught mainly American History. Also taught in other areas of history, philosophy, and theology, View more posts
The Bartling Scholarship 
Certrainly individualism is a key characteristic of the American culture. More than any other culture and certainly Europe. From the earliest beginnings this has been so. Read the Weems biog of Washington – the pre-Civil War generation was anxious that their individualism was negating the national unity of the Founders. Indiividualism vs. community is a pesistent theme in our history, No doubt indiividualism is the key distinguishing component that defines our culture.
Is the notion of the cowboy, ruggedly independent and rebellous a part of our American identity? What does the professor say? How is this a good/bad thing, if so?
My daughter administrator has to teach me how to get rid of typos before publishing.