This essay, published in conjunction with the ServiceNation Summit co-convened by Carnegie Corporation and TIME Magazine on September 11-12, 2008 in New York City, sets the tone for the historic meeting on volunteering and national service by reminding Americans that voluntary associations serve as the sturdy backbone of our civil society, and that the people of this country have a long history of sharing what they have with others. Gregorian argues that Americans have carried “individualism” to a new level of idolatry. Some have made it an icon, and an end in itself. Instantaneous communication and online technologies, for example, seem to connect us, yet they also contribute to a new cult of the individual, allowing us to report on the minutiae of our daily lives.
Citation:
Gregorian, Vartan, "In the Service of Our Nation" (Carnegie Corporation of New York, 2008)