If memory serves, it went this way;
"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."
Until last night I had always believed that President Kennedy had made a plea for the American people to be self-reliant and free from a lazy dependence on our government for their every means of support. But, a discussion with a friend has me re-thinking that quote. The first part, "ask not" certainly does fit my interpretation, but the second part can be seen as, if not contradictory to the first, thematically separate from the first. A mix of apples and oranges, if you will.
"...., ask what you can do for your country"; my friend Mike makes the point that this line is a call to Progressive ideals dating to the 1930's. Basically, as he put it, it reflects the political sentiments of people who want an elite to run the country while the masses support the elite's agenda.
I have always wanted to believe that President JFK was reminding us that we have a duty to contribute to our self-government by getting involved and doing whatever we see fit to help this great nation survive. My earliest impressions saw this effort as a selfless, even altruistic contribution.
But, time and experience have shown me that my first responsibility will always be to myself. After I have assured my own well-being, only then do I have time and energy to give to charity. This philosophy is not incompatible with good citizenship, for, by taking care of myself (myself is a broad term in this sense and includes one's loved ones, dependents and responsibilities, as taking care of such is moral), I am making the entire union stronger. Any structure is only as strong as the weakest member.
Mike has me thinking. I will research more to see if his theory holds water. But first, I think I will open my copy of Ayn Rand's The Virtue Of Selfishness and see what she says about this area of life. I am going to resolve this mystery, for me, and that will make me stronger, and that will be good for the country too.
A friend reminded me of this post last night, Matt says the Mike is wrong. I need to fulfill my promise to delve deeper into this one, if I then decide one way or another on the matter I will make a new post to discuss my conclusions.
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