Evolving Already

After Whitman's reading I'm already rethinking my definition of democracy. Whitman seemed a lot more focused on the idea of developing culture, in order to understand greater art forms. In our group we talked a lot about how a society is united by its high culture, full of art and great literature. Of course Whitman specified literature, but that was just his own personal bias. The way this culture comes about is through the promotion of the individual. Democracy comes not just from voting, but by creating a beautiful art from the fundamental support of people.

A point our ORC group made that I really appreciated was the one looking at how our society has grown. To a certain degree, we wondered if we could ever be united by a single culture. You look at the development of America and it's always been different groups, maintaining their self identity, because it is (somewhat ironically) American to do so. In a place full of different nationalities and ideals, how would it be possible to unite all people under one culture? Perhaps in this respect Whitman is wrong. Or perhaps it is through these differences we are unified...

Either way, my idea of democracy is evolving already.