Western Civ. 1-55: Seneca's Unique Good and Tradgedy*

(Q) According to Seneca, what is man's unique good? How should a good man conduct himself?

The Silver age of Latin Literature is, of course, considered to be the second most important literary epoch of that ancient culture. The Moniker is perhaps related to a myth in Roman religion about the descent of man from almost perfect golden beings down into more and more ignoble metals. The era, though a historical construction, is recognized to have lasted from the reign of Nero until the end of the Flavian Dynasty. My subject, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, was perhaps the most prominent writer of his time, alongside the poet Lucan.

According to the Spenglerian idea, Seneca composed his work after the peak of literary growth in Rome. We remember him not for his exceptional use of language, nor stark originality, or even his polymath status. What make Seneca interesting, worth remembering and studying, was his work to not only make Stoic philosophy accessible to the roman public in a way never before seen, but also in seeding it in the highest echelons of society, even the imperial court and the Emperor Nero himself. But it was also this very success which makes it possible for us to measure the true shortfalls and tragedy of his thinking and his life.

In order to understand Seneca as a literary figure, we need to understand something about the man and his work. First and foremost, he is regarded as a Stoic philosopher, but he also served as a statesman, dramatist, and tutor to Emperor Nero. Due to his position, he eventually became quite wealthy, but lived a life of relative modesty. Born relatively well, he was always promising, but we should remember that for great men, life doesn't truly begin until middle age. Born around 4 BC, he was exiled to Corsica by Claudius on political grounds for engaging in an affair with Julia, the daughter of Germanicus, an important Julian general. Seneca would spend the 40s and his own forties away from Rome and the fellowship of like minds.

During this time, he consoles himself by writing tragedies, perhaps only to be read without performance. There are nine such works that survive, covering topics in Greek Mythology. Critics describe them as rather banal and trite, their wood-carved reliquary serves Stoic philosophy rather than the necessities of good storytelling. By all accounts, their influence on Elizabethan tragedy was far greater than their merits justified.

After eight years the wife of Claudius, Agrippina, succeeded in petitioning her husband to return Seneca as a mentor and adviser to her son Nero, the future emperor. This position and accompanying proximity to Roman higher society gave him considerable influence in his work. Two of the better remembered works are Apocolocyntosis and Naturales Quaestiones. The former was written about the same year as the death of Claudius, when he was being deified by the court and imperial dynasty. It is satire, an amusing but bitter skit aimed at the deification of Claudius, though it is not so sell known how Seneca's patrons reacted to its contents. Despite any scandal Seneca managed to survive, the second work is highly respected and was widely read. Composed of commentary on our relationship with natural phenomenon, it was written during his width drawl from the imperial court near the tragic end of his life and reflects a profound optimism about what reason can tell us of interest about nature and the world around us.

I suppose that same optimism from reason leads to his moral writings, the real heart of his thought so as we regard it. The key concept in his thought was that of Man's Unique Good, which he described as virtue. We discover virtue from what we observe about the rational order of the universe, or Logos. We do this through reason. This good, Virtue, is the first and only true good. All others such as wealth, health, social status are external, unnecessary for the man who truly is what he ought to be. This alone is sufficient to what we need to achieve Eudaimonia, the state of happiness, through internal stability and self-mastery. It is then the pursuit of wisdom, through reason, that allows us to cultivate such virtues as courage, justice, temperance, and practical wisdom. The conduct of a good man, then, involves living with moral integrity, self-discipline, and compassion. We ought to remain true to these moral principles despite adversity by vice or suffering; to cultivate apatheia (freedom from passions). His chief goal is to use this unique good of man, virtue, to work toward eudaimonia, human flourishing as we see it by reasoning. This is also a cosmopolitan philosophy, man whatever his station ought to contribute toward the common good and what is necessary for a harmonious society.

These works were all written either to instruct the young emperor Nero or designed as moral epistles to occupy his semi-retirement. Some were so respected and exalted that they developed a traditional connection with the apostle Paul. People thought his writing was so inspired that they believed he may have personally known St. Paul during his captivity in Rome, unlikely as it seems. All contain beautifully written and pragmatic Stoic philosophy, some of the best the school ever produced. False letters were forged to this end, and many thought they were plausible. In hindsight and with modern scholarship, it seems more likely there were some popular ideas in contemporary stoicism embraced by both men. Nevertheless, his moral works denounce materialism, superstition, the sanguinary Colosseum, tyranny, and the necessity of physical and psychological sensations (passions). Overall, he held many of the classical Stoic viewpoints, but he tries to make a humanly appealing case for an otherwise 'cold' philosophy.

Yet despite these platitudes, many simply find him to be a pleasant hypocrite. He always spoke of the need for stalwart moral virtue, while his own life (as evidenced by his exile) was not always so upstanding. Furthermore, he is charged with apologizing for Nero's matricide of Agrippina, his patron. How, therefore, do we reconcile these supposed moral virtues with his own failures in life? It might help us to better understand His tragedy.

As Nero's tutor, he hoped to make him a virtuous ruler, perhaps a philosopher king, but we got a fiddler instead. During his time as an adviser and tutor to Nero (54-68 AD) he was highly influential, especially during those first five years. For during that time the emperor was more reasonable and humane than at any other period during his reign. Afterward, the infamous tyrant became bloodthirsty and insane, whether as a consequence of his own sick wickedness, or more doubtfully because he had previously rejected Seneca and his unique good. The old tutor would stick around for a while, looking the other way and gradually retreating from public affairs. Wanting to retire, the paranoid, lonely and likely schizophrenic emperor accused him of treason, ultimate betrayal, and supposedly ordered him to comitt suicide in a famous scene of that civilization.

As hopeless as it must have seemed, the work De Clementia urged Nero to limit his powers and prosecutions voluntarily for the sake of this virtue and unique good. As mentioned above, Seneca lost his influence on the emperor. He is sometimes called a hypocrite for his toleration, even apology for the mad tyrant, but is that really the proper characterization? True, he did stay with Nero long into His insanity, continuing to apologize for his master's increasing depravity. But is hypocrisy really what we see? Seneca was a tutor to a philosophy only for good men, those who already want to do rightfully for the sake of its own unique appeal. Critics of stoicism say an inherent flaw is its very disposition to accept one's circumstances dispassionately. In his position, one might estimate the most temperate and prudential thing he could do was to continue advising the emperor, hoping his sanity and justice would return. Indeed, if Seneca is to be criticized, it is for other reasons.

In Stoic philosophy, there were many other important figures, but Seneca stands out in a particular respect. Though Epictetus suffered more and Marcus Aurelius was directly a "man in the ring," Seneca shows us the influence of his philosophy on a bad man. It teaches us that even the best ideas cannot make man good and cannot make him choose to be good. it does not change circumstances but copes with them. These ideas are truly for a silver man, someone identified with the good and fundementally tied to it. In short, it cannot alone deal with the sin-nature of man, his total depravity in separation from God.

Despite his convincing arguments for the unique good, man's capacity for virtue, it is unrealistic to expect this from mankind marred by sin. What man does determines what he is, but since man chooses his own knowledge of good and evil, he cannot identify with true goodness, which is only found in God, with whom he so severs himself. For the Holy God-man, such virtue is intrinsic, According to the Word of God (Christ is this Logos (John 1)) by His Grace through Faith in Him (Christ) alone, we can crucify our sins and inherit righteousness, Holiness solely for the Glory of God alone. Apathy is itself pathetic, if the problem is our sin which keeps us from virtue, and only God can save us, he doth command us to have passion for the works of virtue that proceed from faith, this true faith alone saves.

Stoicism stalwartly protests an ignorant vision of the human condition (total depravity) and fails to address this sin. Fortunately, the lives and works of men like Seneca, through the Word of God, can reveal to us general revelations about the nature of man which can then find their complete truth in what scripture calls the unique good of man, the one that produces all worthy virtue in righteousness, Faith. If a Marcus Aurelius or a Seneca sometimes does a good deed, it is counted for naught because of the hipocrisy of sin, rather a witness that he knew God's righteousness as even demons do, and rejected it or otherwise failed to do what was required of him, what his nature was wrought to produce. This Tragedy of Seneca and Nero is the same, that of the blackness of sin. But most assuredly, by Faith in our Lord Jesus Christ the Holy Spirit can dwell within us to produce and furnish all external goods in the fruit of the spirit.

Of Training for Citizenship Through Scouting

The Boy Scout Movement has become almost universal, and wherever organized its leaders are glad, as we are, to acknowledge the debt we all owe to Lieut.-Gen. Sir Robert S. S. Baden-Powell, has done so much to make the movement of interest to boys of all nations. 

It is on the occasion of celebrating the maturation of two such interests in earnest that we gather here today. The best way to carry this out, I am sure, can be by recounting the dearest principles of that very organization to which we all owe so much indelible gratitude, but that are now so often left unheard in our gatherings. For through Scoutcraft, we each enjoy the best part of our training and education for citizenship, a most excellent pilgrimage in the chief end of man, to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.

Before I begin I have a few words

First, I would like to thank everyone for coming, but most of all those who have supported me through my scouting Journey, including my scoutmasters and those who were present at my Eagle project. In accordance, I would like to give special thanks to my scoutmasters Luke Cole and Rob Markiewicz, and to my comrades Ben Hays, Elwood and Joey Lutrell, and Ryan Bowen. I would also like to thank the beneficiaries and sponsors, Lakewood Community Church, the Lakewood Garden Club, and Weesies Bros. Garden Center, along with participating members, Stevie Bowne, Mike Emerson, and Chris Hoffman.

Now, I understand you are all basically involved in scouting. (nod) So if you don't mind, I will take only (gestures) 30 seconds, or one minute, to give you a short reference to literature giving you a little intellectual background about scouting. (yes) 

"I suppose every boy wants to help his country in some way or other. There is a way by which he can do so easily, and that is by becoming a Boy Scout." Those are the opening words of the World Brotherhood edition of SCOUTING FOR BOYS — the book written by Baden-Powell that started the Boy Scout movement on its peaceful and successful conquest of the boyhood of the world. They are equally appropriate as the opening words of this oratory. 

Since the day the Scout movement was founded, the world has been through the two greatest wars in history-, nations have fought nations, old standards of human relationships have been destroyed. By what has happened. Scouting has become increasingly more important to the future of our nation. The Scout movement aims for a high standard of citizenship, character, and physical fitness for every American boy. It works toward this aim by making boys able to do things for themselves, by training them through Woodcraft, Scout spirit, and fraternal geminshaft among other high ideals expressed in the Scout Oath and Law to which every Scout pledges himself. What follows is an explanation of the concept in our founder's own words.

EXPLANATION OF SCOUTING

By the term “scouting” is meant the work and attributes of backwoodsmen, explorers, and frontiersmen. In giving the elements of these to boys we supply a system of games and practices which meet their desires and instincts, and is at the same time educative. 

From the boys’ point of view Scouting puts them into fraternity gangs which is their natural organization, whether for games, mischief, or loafing; it gives them a smart dress and equipment; it appeals to their imagination and romance; and it engages them in an active, open-air life. 

From the parents’ point of view, it gives physical health and development; it teaches energy, resourcefulness, and handicrafts; it puts into the lad discipline, pluck, and chivalry, amid patriotism; in a word, it develops “character”, which is more essential than anything else to a lad for taking his way of life. 

The principle on which Scouting works is that the boy’s ideas are studied, and he is encouraged to educate himself instead of being instructed. The principle is in accord with that of the most up-to-date educationalists. The training is progressive and adapted to the changing psychology of the growing boy.

To the Youth:

You will find that the object of becoming an able and efficient Boy Scout is not merely to give you fun and adventure but that, like the backwoodsmen, explorers, and frontiersmen whom you are following, you will be fitting yourself to help your country and to be of service to other people who may be in need of help. That is what the best men are out to do. 

A true Scout is looked up to by other boys and by grownups as a fellow who can be trusted, a fellow who will not fail to do his duty however risky and dangerous it may be, a fellow who is jolly and cheery no matter how great the difficulty before him. 

Into the old Scouting Handbook is put all that is needed to make you a good Scout of that kind. So, go ahead, read the book, practice all that it teaches you, and I hope you will have half as good a time as I have had as a Scout. 

   - B. Powell

YOU as a Boy Scout 

YOU — AMERICAN BOY: Have you ever dreamed of hiking the wilderness trails that were worn down under moccasins hundreds of years ago? Do you hear in your imagination the almost soundless dip-dip of Indian canoe paddles or the ring of the axe of an early pioneer hewing a home out of the American wilderness? Have you followed with your mind's eye the covered wagons on the trek across our continent? Have you thought of the men and women who built our country by their determination and devotion? You are the descendant of those people. You are the guardian of what they built. You are the American on whom the future of our wonderful country depends.

YOU —BOY SCOUT: Today you are an American boy. Before long you will be an American man. It is important to America and to yourself that you become a citizen of fine character, physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. Boy Scouting helps you become that kind of citizen. But also, Scouting gives you fellowship and fun. Yes, it's fun to be a Boy Scout! It's fun to go hiking and camping with your best friends ... to swim, to dive, to paddle a canoe, to wield an axe ... to follow in the footsteps of the pioneers who led the way through the wilderness ... to stare into the glowing embers of a campfire and dream of the wonders of the life that is in store for you...

YOU — IN THE GREAT OUTDOORS: When you are a Scout, forests and fields, rivers and lakes, are your playground. You are completely at home in God's great outdoors. You learn to notice every sound, to observe every track. Birds and animals become your friends. You master the skills of walking noiselessly through the woods, of stalking close to a grazing deer without being noticed, of bringing a bird to you by imitating its call. You learn to find your way cross country by map and compass, to make a meal when you are hungry, to take a safe swim when you are hot, to make yourself comfortable for the night in a tent or under the stars. You become a true outdoorsman.

YOU — PATROL MEMBER: As a Boy Scout you will belong in a patrol—which is the Scout name for a small gang of boys in the troop that you join. The patrol is the unit that makes Scouting go. In the Scout patrol, you will meet boys who may be your friends for the rest of your life. Under one of the Scouts, picked by the gang as patrol leader, you will help in the planning of patrol meetings, hikes, and camps, and will do your part in carrying out your decisions. You will have fun indoors in the patrol den and outdoors under the open sky . . . you will learn the skills of Scouting ... you will be on the team for Scoutcraft games and contests. You will find out what it means to be a real boy among other real boys—living your life according to the Scout code.

YOU — MEMBER OF A TROOP: Your patrol does not stand alone—it is part of a troop that consists of several patrols that work together, hike, and camp together. It's fun to take part in a good troop meeting under a capable Scoutmaster —but it is even more fun to go to summer camp with the whole troop, learn new Scoutcraft skills, and join in the excitement of the campfire at night.

YOU — PREPARED FOR SERVICE: Scouting is far more than hiking and camping fun. Scouting is learning to grow into responsible manhood, and learning to be of service to others. The Scout Oath and the Scout Law are your guides to citizenship. They tell you what is expected of a Scout and point out your duties. The Scout motto is "Be Prepared"—prepared to take care of yourself and to help people in need. The Scout slogan is "Do a Good Turn Daily." Together, the motto and slogan spell out your ability and your willingness to be of service. The records of the Scout movement are full of reports of Scouts who have done outstanding service, of Scouts who have saved the lives of others at the risk of their own. Some day you may join the roster of Scout heroes—if you are prepared.

YOUR UNIFORM: The Boy Scouts of America is the largest uniformed body of volunteers in the world. At this very moment, more than five million boys and leaders belong to the Boy Scout movement in the United States and wear the Scout uniform with pride. Your uniform is part of the thrill of being a Scout. The very moment you put it on you feel ready for hiking, camping, or other vigorous Scout activities. The Scout uniform stands for the brotherhood of Scouting, for the Scout ideals, and for outdoor life. The color blends with the hues of forest and field. The design is made for comfort, freedom of action, and for health. Every Scout wears the same uniform—it is a badge of fraternity, an emblem of service. To the public, the uniform proclaims aloud, "Here is a boy who is a Scout"—for people know that only a boy who is a full-fledged member of the Boy Scouts of America has the right to wear the Boy Scout uniform. 

YOUR SCOUT BADGES: On your uniform, you wear the badges that show that you belong, that you are a member of a certain patrol in a certain troop in the Boy Scouts of America. But there are other badges that tell of the Scoutcraft you have mastered and the rank you have reached and badges that show the world what responsibilities have been entrusted to you by your patrol and your troop. The badges you earn are the best proof of your determination to make the greatest possible use of the opportunities that Scouting offers you.

YOU — IN A WORLD BROTHERHOOD: When Lord Baden-Powell—famous English general and a hero to his countrymen—developed the Scouting scheme and founded the Boy Scout movement, he had no idea that it would prove popular enough to spread around the world. But that is what happened. The day you become a Scout, you join a world brotherhood with close to 54 million members in more than 210 countries around the globe. All these Scouts have pledged themselves to the Scout Oath and Law. All of them consider You their brother.

YOU ON THE SCOUTING TRAIL: The door to Scouting fun is wide open to you. You will be welcomed in a Boy Scout patrol and troop, and boys already Scouts will help you have a wonderful time in Scouting. The Scouting Handbook will be your guide. The pages printed in red and black tell you how to become a Tenderfoot Scout. The pages in brown and black lead you on to Second Class. The pages in green and black guide you to First Class. The pages in gray and black take you through Star and Life to Eagle Scout rank. Ready to set out on the Scouting trail? Then LET'S GO!

The adventure of scouting is meant to be a journey and YOU as yourself, a Boy Scout, are the principal. 

YOU as Boy Scout

Starting Trail to TENDERFOOT   

    - Tests of Rank

    - Scout Teamwork 

    - Scoutcraft

    - Scout Spirit 

Hiking Trail to SECOND CLASS

Camping Trail to FIRST CLASS

Advancement Trail to EAGLE 

Merit Badges

Star Scout Requirements 

Life Scout Requirements

Eagle Scout Requirements

Other Scout Awards 

Scouting Trail to CITIZENSHIP 

Duty to God  

Duty to Country 

Obeying the Scout Law 

Helping Other People 

Physically Strong 

Mentally Awake 

Morally Straight 

Once a Scout, Always a Scout

Starting Trail to TENDERFOOT: Meeting the Tenderfoot Tests. Simply coming to a troop meeting and getting in with your future pals won't make you a Boy Scout overnight. There are skills you must learn and rules you must follow to be a full-fledged Scout. These skills and rules are spelled out in the Tenderfoot tests on the next couple of pages. 

As you read the Tenderfoot tests you will see that they divide naturally into three main sections—each of them important to a real Scout 

 The SCOUT TEAMWORK tests will teach you what you need to know about your patrol and troop and about the life that's ahead of you in Scouting. 

The SCOUTCRAFT tests give you your first taste of the many skills you will learn as a Scout. 

The SCOUT SPIRIT tests tell you the rules of the Scouting" game." 

Study the Tenderfoot tests carefully, then settle down to meet them. You will get plenty of help from the fellows in the patrol you expect to join, especially from your future patrol leader. Your dad can help you, too—he was probably a Scout himself when he was a boy. If you are a Cub Scout, you will learn the tests while you work for your Webelos badge in your Webelos den. 

When your patrol leader is confident that you know your stuff, he'll get you a Scout application blank. Have your parents fill in this blank and sign it. Then sign it yourself and take it to your Scoutmaster with your national membership fee of 50 cents :). Your Scoutmaster will go over the Tenderfoot tests with you to make sure that you know them and understand them. When he is satisfied, he will send your application and your membership fee to the National Council of the Boy Scouts of America through your local council office. 

Your Investiture. Now comes the big moment when you are received into Boy Scouting in a simple investiture ceremony. Some evening at a troop meeting or some night at a campfire, you stand before your Scoutmaster, the Scouts of the troop, and your parents. You raise your right hand in the Scout sign and solemnly dedicate yourself to the Scout Oath ''On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight." From then on you are a member of the World Brotherhood of Scouting and are on your way with your patrol and troop toward a life of outdoor fun and adventure, of service to others, of training yourself to become the kind of MAN you want to be. 

We may also speak about the Hiking Trail to SECOND CLASS, the Camping Trail to FIRST CLASS, and the Advancement Trail to EAGLE, all of which have their own unique and valuable lessons for us.

Hiking trail to SECOND CLASS: WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO; There are things you have to do to advance as a Boy Scout: A hundred years ago, when the far West was being settled, young men with pluck and courage arrived from the East eager to make a new kind of life for themselves. The old-timers, already hardened to the roughness of pioneer life, called them "tenderfoots"—their feet were still smarting from the long trek, their bodies still soft. The newcomers didn't care much for the name "tenderfoot."To get rid of it they quickly set out to prove that they had what it takes, by turning themselves into first-class lumbermen miners or cattlemen. 

It's the same in Scouting. In the beginning, you're just a Tenderfoot Boy Scout. No Scout—and certainly not you—wants to stay "tenderfoot" for long. You want to prove yourself first class in every way—in the way you fit in with the gang, in the skills you learn, in the spirit you pick up. A jump directly from "tenderfoot" to "first class" would be quite a jump! That's why Scouting provides you with an in-between stage. From Tenderfoot, you advance to Second Class and only then reach for the higher goal of First Class. 

What You Have to Do: There are three things you have to do to advance as a Boy Scout: For each rank, there are three major requirements you have to meet—SCOUT TEAMWORK, SCOUTCRAFT, and SCOUT SPIRIT. Within these requirements there are tests to pass—some having to do with taking part in Scout activities, some with skills, some with the deeper meaning of Scouting. Let's have a closer look at them 

 SCOUT TEAMWORK—It is by regular and wholehearted attendance at patrol and troop activities that you prove yourself a dependable member of the team, willing to work with it and for it. Some boys may become good team members in a short time, while others may need several months. Which kind are you? 

SCOUTCRAFT—The Second Class Scoutcraft skills are hiking skills. You'll acquire them easily on hikes with your patrol and your troop. You'll learn to prepare yourself for hiking, to find your way through fields and woods, to track and stalk an animal, to cook a meal in the open, to handle an emergency, to have fun in the out-of-doors. 

SCOUT SPIRIT—As you live the life of a Scout in patrol and troop you'll soon pick up the spirit of Scouting. The Scout Law will become your code of conduct. The Scout motto will be your spur to learning. The Scout slogan will remind you of your daily Good Turn. You will learn to show your spirit by actions in the way you live at home, in your school, in your church, your community. 

Camping Trail to FIRST CLASS

how to become a FIRST CLASS SCOUT: The purpose of the whole Scouting program is to assist you in becoming a good citizen and to help you grow into strong manhood. Every step along the advancement trail will lead you in this direction. The early steps put you on the road—but it is only as you take step after step that you can expect to reach the Scouting goal. That's why you should strive to become a First Class Scout at the earliest possible moment. 

Baden-Powell himself—the founder of Scouting—had this to say about the importance of becoming First Class: "A boy does not really get the full value of Scout training until he is a First Class Scout." And he gave the reason: "The tests for First Class Scouts were laid down with the idea that a boy who proved himself equipped to that extent might reasonably be considered grounded in the qualities which go to make a good, manly citizen." 

What You Have to Do. By now you are familiar with the pattern of all Scout advancement. You know that for each there are three important requirements you need to meet—in SCOUT TEAMWORK, SCOUTCRAFT, and SCOUTSPIRIT. Within each of these requirements, there are special tests to pass—some dealing with what you do in patrol and troop, some with the skills you learn, and still others with the ideals of Scouting. 

SCOUT TEAMWORK—The closer you come to one hundred percent attendance at patrol and troop activities, the closer you get to showing FIRST CLASS teamwork. But attendance is not enough—what counts most is what you do when you are there. There are younger boys, and newer patrol members who look up to you now because they consider you one of the old-timers. Do you set an example for them? Do you accept patrol and troop responsibilities willingly and carry them out? 

SCOUTCRAFT—The First Class Scoutcraft skills aim to make you a good camper. There is nothing like camp to help you grow "physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight." The vigorous activities of camp strengthen your body. Your life in the open teaches you to be self-reliant, resourceful able to take care of yourself under all conditions. 

SCOUT SPIRIT—The longer you stay in Scouting and the farther you advance, the more the ideals of Scouting influence your life. The Scout Law takes on a deeper meaning. The promise you gave in the Scout Oath becomes more and more important to you—you are not satisfied unless you truly do your very best, at home and in school, in your church or synagogue and community.

Advancement Trail to EAGLE 

how to become an EAGLE SCOUT: Your Scout life in the outdoors has helped make your body strong and healthy. Your mind has become trained to make a deduction from what you see and hear. You have grown self-reliant and resourceful. And while taking part in the activities of your patrol and troop you have reached your first Scouting goal: You are a First Class Scout. 

Your First Class badge shows that you have successfully followed the broad trail of Scouting. But the road goes much farther and, as a real Scout, you want to follow the trail to the end. There are more badges to be earned, more ranks to be reached—until finally, if you have the energy and ability, you succeed in reaching the top in Scout advancement and become an Eagle Scout. 

Did you notice that little word "if"? In that word lies the secret of your Scout advancement. In Scout advancement, each boy proceeds at his own speed. Your rate of advancement depends entirely on you. In Scout advancement you are not trying to get ahead of anyone else—you try to better your own previous record. You move as far and as fast as your ambition carries you. 

Your first steps in Scout advancement brought you through the basic Scout ranks of Second Class and First Class. Your next step is to set out to earn merit badges in special fields that interest you as well as the specific merit badges required for the ranks of Star, Life, and Eagle Scout. The earlier in your Scouting career, you earn these required badges, the more certain you are of reaching Eagle. 

And all along the way, you have to demonstrate your Scout teamwork, Scout spirit, and leadership ability. 

Scouting Trail to CITIZENSHIP 

FROM BOY TO MAN: What kind of man do you want to be? There is a simple way to find the answer—by first answering another question: "What kind of man do I most admire?" 

Sit down quietly and alone with a pencil and a piece of paper. Then ask yourself: "Which men from America's past and present do I look up to?" Put their names down. "Why do I admire them? What do I like about them?" Write down the whys and the whats. 

High on your list may be your father. And perhaps the names of relatives, your Scoutmaster, your religious leader, your best friends. 

Your list may include Americans like Washington because of his loyalty to his country Lincoln for his simplicity and steadfastness Theodore Roosevelt for his enthusiasm and fighting spirit . . . Edison for his energy- and perseverance. . . heroes from our wars for their daring and self-sacrifice . . . athletes for their endurance and sportsmanship . . . men of science and arts for their accomplishment in adding to human knowledge and understanding. 

You have made your list. There before you in black and white are the qualities you admire most in others, the things that make you like them. Study those things closely. See how they add up until they cover each part of the Scout Oath. 

They are bound to come out that way, because in the Scout Oath, you have the qualities that make men fine and great. 

"On my honor... ." The signers of the Declaration of Independence pledged to each other their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor. Heroes have died rather than betray their honor. As a Scout, you count your honor as one of your most valuable possessions. 

"... I WILL DO MY BEST . . ." No person who has accomplished anything worthwhile did this by doing his second best—or his third or fourth best. He gave the very best that was in him—his best thoughts, his best work. 

". . . TO DO MY DUTY TO GOD AND MY COUNTRY . . ." The kind of man you will be depends on your ability to know your duty and to do your utmost to live up to your obligations.

". . . AND TO OBEY THE SCOUT LAW . . ." That law fits you as a boy. It will fit you just as well when you become a man—for a real man is everything the Scout Law stands for. 

". . . TO HELP OTHER PEOPLE AT ALL TIMES . . ." It isn't enough to have the willingness to help other people—you need to have the ability as well. You develop this ability as you advance in Scout rank and learn how to act in an emergency. 

TO KEEP MYSELF PHYSICALLY STRONG, MENTALLY AWAKE, AND MORALLY STRAIGHT." You Owe it to yourself, to your country, and your God to develop your body, to train your mind, to strive to be a boy and man of high character. In all these things Scouting helps you. By taking part enthusiastically in all activities of patrol and troop, by learning the skills that Scouting has to offer, and by living up to the ideals of Scouting, you will become the man you want to be.

 "IN GOD WE TRUST." Because as individuals and as a nation, we depend on God

ONCE A SCOUT, ALWAYS A SCOUT; OUR DUTIES AS CITIZENS: 

Citizenship Duties of Scouts as Citizens - Citizens of the World

Every scout ought to prepare himself to be a good citizen of his country and of the World. 

For this you must begin, as boys, to look on all boys as your friends. Remember, whether rich or poor, from town or from country, you have to stand shoulder to shoulder for your country. If you are divided among yourselves you are doing harm to your country. You must sink your differences. 

If you despise other boys because they belong to a poorer home than yourself you are a snob. If you hate other boys because they happen to be born richer than you, you are a fool. 

We must, each one of us, take our place as we find it in this world and make the best of it, and pull together with the others around us. 

We are very much like bricks in a wall, we each have our place, though it may seem a small one in so big a wall. But if one brick crumbles or slips out of place, it begins to throw an undue strain on others, cracks appear, and the wall totters. 

Don’t be too anxious to push yourself on. You will get disappointments without end if you start that way. 

Work for the good of your country, or of the business in which you are employed, and you will find that as you do this you will be getting all the promotion and all the success that you want. 

Try and prepare yourself for this by seriously taking up the subjects they teach you at school, not because it amuses you, but because it is your duty to your country to improve yourself. Take up your mathematics, your history, and your language learning in that spirit, and you’ll get on. 

Don’t think of yourself, but think of your country and the good that your work is going to do to other people. Such service is a kind of service that grows out of the heart, and is the fruit of the kindly spirit which prompts the "good turn daily." It is not alone in big things, but in the little things as well, that the really great work is done.

Many people get led away by some new politician with some new extreme idea. Never believe in one man’s idea till it has been well considered from all points of view. Extreme ideas are seldom much good; if you look them up in history you will see almost always that they have been tried before somewhere and have failed. Your forefathers worked hard, fought hard, and died hard, to make your country for you. Don’t let them look down from heaven and see you loafing about with your hands in your pockets, doing nothing to keep it up. Play up! Each man in his place, and play the game! 

As a Scout, you join a great host of boys of many nationalities and you will have friends in every continent. 

This Brotherhood of Scouting is in many respects similar to a Crusade. Scouts from all parts of the world are ambassadors of goodwill, making friends, and breaking down barriers of color, of creed, and of class. That surely is a great Crusade. I advise you to do your best in that work, for soon you will be a man, and if quarrels should arise between any nations it is upon you that the burden of responsibility will fall.

Finally, I hope I have been able in this talk to show you something of the appeal that lies in Scouting for all of us. 

I want you to feel that you are really Scouts out in the wilds, able to work things out for yourselves, and not just Scouts in a Troop carefully looked after by Patrol Leaders and Scouters. 

I know that you want to be up and doing things for yourselves; that these old explorers and frontiersmen appeal to the spirit of adventure in you; that, despite all the modern inventions, you want to get out on your own, fending for yourselves, enjoying the freedom of the open air. 

I have just tried to suggest to you some ways of doing this and of helping you to become real men. 

Scouting is a fine game, if we put our backs into it and tackle it well, with real enthusiasm. As with other games, too, we will find that we gain strength of body, mind, and spirit from the playing of it. But remember! It is a game for the open air, so whenever the opportunity occurs get out into the open and Good Luck and Good Camping go with you!

My dear Sir: 

    I quite agree with Judge Lindsey that the Boy Scout Movement is of peculiar importance to the whole country. It has already done much good, and it will do far more, for it is in its essence a practical scheme through which to impart a proper standard of ethical conduct, proper standards of fair play and consideration for others, and courage and decency, to boys who have never been reached and never will be reached by the ordinary type of preaching, lay or clerical. I have been particularly interested in that extract of a letter from a scoutmaster in the Philippines, which runs as follows: 

    "It might interest you to know that at a recent fire in Manila which devastated acres of ground and rendered 3,000 people homeless, that two patrols of the Manila scouts reached the fire almost with the fire companies, reported to the proper authorities, and worked for hours under very trying conditions Scouts helping frightened natives into places of safety, removing valuables and other articles from houses that apparently wherein the path of the flames, and performing cheerfully and efficiently all the tasks given to them by the firemen and scoutmaster. They were complimented in the public press, and in a kind editorial about their work. 

    "During the recent Carnival, the services of the boys were requested by the Carnival officers, and for a period of ten days they were on duty performing all manner of service in the carnival grounds, directing strangers to hotels, and acting as guides and helpers in a hundred ways." 

    What these Boy Scouts of the Philippines have just done, I think our Boy Scouts in every town and country district should train themselves to be able to do. The movement is one for efficiency and patriotism. It does not try to make soldiers of Boy Scouts, but to make boys who will turn out as mento be fine citizens, and who will, if their country needs them, make better soldiers for having been scouts. No one can be a good American unless he is a good citizen, and every boy ought to train himself so that as a man he will be able to do his full duty to the community. I want to see the Boy Scouts not merely utter fine sentiments, but act on them; not merely saying, "My Country 'Tis of Thee," but act in a way that will give them a country to be proud of. No man is a good citizen unless he so acts as to show that he actually uses the Ten Commandments, and translates the Golden Rule into his life conduct — and I don't mean by this in exceptional cases under spectacular circumstances, but I mean applying the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule in the ordinary affairs of every-day life. I hope the Boy Scouts will practice truth and square dealing, and courage and honesty, so that when as young men they begin to take a part not only in earning their own livelihood, but in governing the community, they may be able to show in practical fashion their insistence upon the great truth that the eighth and ninth commandments are directly related to every-day life, not only between men as such in their private relations, but between men and the government of which they are part. Indeed the boys even while only boys can have a very real effect upon the conduct of the grown-up members of the community, for decency and square dealing are just as contagious as vice and corruption. 

    Every healthy boy ought to feel and will feel that in order to amount to anything, it is necessary to have a constructive, Patriotism and Citizenship and not merely a destructive, nature; and if he can keep this feeling as he grows up he has taken his first step toward good citizenship. The man who tears down and criticizes and scolds may be a good citizen, but only in a negative sense; and if he never does anything else he is apt not to be a good citizen at all. The man who counts, and the boy who counts, are the man and boy who steadily endeavor to build up, to improve, to better living conditions everywhere and all about them. 

    But the boy can do an immense amount right in the present, entirely aside from training himself to be a good citizen in the future; and he can only do this if he associates himself with other boys. Let the Boy Scouts see to it that the best use is made of the parks and playgrounds in their villages and hometowns. A gang of toughs may make a playground impossible; and if the boy Scouts in the neighborhood of that particular playground are fit for their work, they will show that they won't permit any such gang of toughs to have its way. Moreover, let the Boy Scouts take the lead in seeing that the parks and playgrounds are turned to a really good account. I hope, by the way, that one of the prime teachings among the Boy Scouts will be the teaching against vandalism. Let it be a point of honor to protect birds, trees, and flowers, and so to make our country more beautiful and not more ugly, because we have lived in it. 

    The same qualities that mean success or failure to the nation as a whole, mean success or failure in men and boys individually. The Boy Scouts must war against the same foes and vices that most hurt the nation; and they must try to develop the same values that the nation most needs. To be helpless, self-indulgent, or wasteful, will turn the boy into a mighty poor kind of a man, just as the indulgence in such vices by the men of a nation means the ruin of the nation. 

    Let the boy stand stoutly against his enemies both from without and from within, let him show courage in confronting fearlessly one set of enemies, and in controlling and mastering the others. Any boy is worth nothing if he has not got courage, courage to stand up against the forces of evil, and courage to stand up in the right path. Let him be unselfish and gentle, as well as strong and brave. It should be a matter of pride to him that he is not afraid of anyone, and that he scorns not to be gentle and considerate to everyone, and especially to those who are weaker than he is. If he doesn't treat his mother and sisters well, then he is a poor creature no matter what else he does; just as a man who 3S6 Bov Scouts doesn't treat his wife well is a poor kind of citizen no matter what his other qualities may be. And, by the way, don't ever forget to let the boy know that courtesy, politeness, and good manners must not be neglected. They are not little things, because they are used at every turn in daily life. Let the boy remember also that in addition to courage, unselfishness, and fair dealing, he must have efficiency, he must have knowledge, he must cultivate a sound body and a good mind, and train himself so that he can act with quick decisions in any crisis that may arise. 

    Mind, eye, muscle, all must be trained so that the boy can master himself, and thereby learn to master his fate. I heartily wish all good luck to the movement. 

Very sincerely yours, 

    Theodore Roosevelt.

Citations:

    I highly recommend copies of these three scout books and many more, which you can find available on Amazon or available for download at -archive.org. All are superior materials to whatever is available today, quite exciting, and in every quality far exceed the sort of literature most of us are familiar with. 

Instruction: try to get PDF or EPUB only, read with naturalreaders.com or your preferred app

Scouting for Boys, Dover Publications, 2014

The word of scouting 'god,' 

The official Boy Scout handbook, New York : [s.n.], 1910 Boy Scouts of America [America, Boy Scouts of]

classic Americana, apostolic-era scouting; this will put hair on your chest

Handbook for boys, New York: Boy Scouts of America, 1957

From the Golden Age of scouting, sixth edition, the most invigorating of all

Official Boy Scout Handbook, Irving, Texas: Boy Scouts of America, 9th ed., Irving, Tex., 1979

The last good edition

The Patrol Leader and Scoutmaster booklets and Boys Life magazines are also very good and available online, especially those from before the '80s. After the Ninth edition, all scouting materials went the way of Common Core education. The modern handbook is worse than those textbooks.

Western Civ. 1-135: The Medieval Contribution to Western Prosperity

Prompt:

(1) How can we account for Western Europe's sustained economic success?

(2) Why was the rise of the medieval towns significant?

Introduction:

For the whole of human history until about 1800 all mankind existed in a state of absolute poverty. Remarkably, the former backwater of Western Europe was the first region to experience a sustained period of compounding capital growth and diminishing scarcity. This was a pivotal period in history that altered the economic landscape of our civilization, setting the stage for sustained and growing prosperity and even liberty. Examining the factors contributing to this unprecedented development are crucial for understanding sustained economic success and mankind’s apparent escape from the Malthusian trap. This essay serves as an exploration into the unique factors that paved the way for prosperity. First, by analyzing how we can account for Western Europe's unique and sustained economic success. Then it is also important to explain how the rise of towns had significance not only to economic factors, but also with respect to the political and legal developments that accompanied their improvement. 

Thesis: The Medieval Contribution to Western Prosperity:

The central premise guiding this exploration is the now current historical consensus that the medieval period holds the key to understanding Western Europe's enduring economic success. Contrary to the demeaning modernist rhetoric of Renaissance humanists and Enlightenment philosophes, the high and late Middle Ages witnessed a stark departure from earlier conditions with the unique development of factors basic to the modern paradigm. This was marked by a series of key and transformative contributions to civilization over a period of 800 years. The changes involve improvements in capital, but we find these technologies are not the supreme paradigm in human development. Rather, the new and increasing scope of liberties afforded to private enterprise, was far more basic than capital itself in accounting for the process of development as such, the key topic in this study of economic history. Yet, all of these developments and their compounding effects were only first made possible by the political decentralization of medieval Western feudalism. However, the rise of medieval towns in this politically decentralized context (after the classical collapse) was the medium and key effector of institutional and political changes responsible for the liberty to make contributions that have made possible our phenomenon. In short, the essay is dedicated to accounting for the specific and fundamental contributing factors basic to Western Europe’s economic success, but confined to those that contextually emerged in its period of study. It emphasizes the role of political decentralization in facilitating this civilizational metamorphosis, but holds this context was mediated by the rise of towns. As they developed, they were both witness to economic developments and the key contributors to many flowering liberties that made the former possible. 

An included section must explain why the industrial revolution only occurred when it did, after the end of the medieval period, and not directly as the result of properly medieval developments. It must also detail why political decentralization was and is fundamental according to a certain definition despite the apparent change of conditions before, during, and after the industrial revolution. It basically holds that the phenomenon itself could not have begun if the factors discussed, almost necessarily spawned in this context, did not first proliferate themselves in society.

To conclude, The essay should analyze the current and evolving neoliberal paradigm with respect to its ability for compounding, supporting, and sustaining this basically good phenomenon. 

In The Beginning:

1. Human History in Absolute Poverty

• Discuss the historical context of human poverty until about 1800.

• Emphasize that Western Europe, once a backwater, experienced a unique period of sustained capital growth and diminishing scarcity.

2. Pivotal Period in History

• Highlight the significance of the pivotal period in Western Europe's history.

• Set the stage for sustained prosperity and liberty.

• Stress the importance of examining factors contributing to this unprecedented development.

3. The Medieval Contribution to Western Prosperity

• Present the central premise that the medieval period holds the key to understanding Western Europe's enduring economic success.

• Challenge demeaning modernist rhetoric and emphasize the departure from earlier conditions.

• Identify the unique contributions of the high and late Middle Ages to the modern paradigm over 800 years.

List of Contributing Linear Factors:

a. Private Enterprise: 4. Role in Making the Modern World

• Emphasize the relative freedom given to businesses and entrepreneurs.

• Discuss the absence of heavy taxation and arbitrary seizures, fostering an environment of business freedom.

• Explore David Landes' perspective on private enterprise as a unique and crucial factor.

b. Capital and Institutional Factors: 5. Sophistication of Major Industries

• Highlight the sophistication of medieval industries, including silk, textiles, and consumer goods.

• Explore the pioneering role of 13th-century Italians in private banking.

• Discuss the development of insurance associations by guilds, covering aspects like old age, fire, and shipwrecks.

c. Political Decentralization: 6. Crucial Role in Economic Success

• Elaborate on the concept of political decentralization and its role in Western Europe's economic success.

• Discuss the significance of competing jurisdictions preventing an all-encompassing empire.

• Highlight the impact of representative bodies like the English parliament in limiting arbitrary rule and taxation.

The Rise of Towns:

Towns as Magnets for Freedom: 7. Contributions to Economic and Political Significance

• Discuss how towns became magnets for those fleeing serfdom, contributing to economic and political significance.

• Explore the unique form of economic and political organization represented by medieval towns.

• Emphasize the role of towns in offering liberties, both political and economic, to their inhabitants.

Negotiating Liberties: 8. Rights, Charters, and Self-Governance

• Describe how towns negotiated for rights against lords seeking tax revenues.

• Highlight the various liberties sought, especially in securing charters for self-governance.

• Explain the importance of these charters in laying the foundation for modern city councils.

Collective Liberty of Towns: 9. Socio-Economic Magnetism

• Elaborate on the concept of collective liberty enjoyed by towns as a whole.

• Contrast with the modern idea of individual rights, emphasizing towns' role in self-governance.

• Discuss the socio-economic magnetism of towns and their critical role in Western liberty development.

Why was the rise of medieval towns significant?

How the Rise of Towns Shaped Western Liberty and Civilization: 10. Overview of Robert Nisbet's Work - Provide an overview of "The Quest for Community" by Robert Nisbet. - Discuss Nisbet's exploration of the role of communities in shaping societies. - Emphasize the connection between strong local communities and the development of liberty.

Some Study of Western Urbanism: 11. Differences in Societal Structures - Explore the concept of western urbanism and its distinctions from other societal structures. - Discuss the importance of urban centers in acting as hubs for economic and political activities. - Consider the role of cities and communes in conferring political rights and autonomy to citizens.

What the Rise of Renewed Urbanism Had to Do with This Political and Economic Success: 12. Positive Feedback Loop for Development - Explain how the rise of towns created a positive feedback loop for development. - Discuss the role of towns as magnets for those fleeing serfdom, becoming economic and political entities. - Analyze the impact of urban liberties on the overall development of Western Europe.

Political Fragmentation: 13. Views on Political Fragmentation - Discuss the unpopular view of political fragmentation today, contrasting it with Goethe's perspective. - Explore how political rivalry and the right of exit fueled competition among small political units. - Highlight Goethe's emphasis on the benefits of fragmentation as a strong brake on arbitrary behavior.

Importance of Cities and Communes: 14. Emancipation of Serfs and Political Rights - Investigate the emancipation of serfs linked to the existence of cities. - Provide examples of how cities conferred political rights on their citizens. - Discuss the role of cities in limiting the power of governments and enabling the flourishing of private enterprise.

The Rise of Towns in Economic Development:

Economic Impact of Towns: 15. Functions in Facilitating Trade and Commerce - Explore the economic functions of towns, including their role in facilitating trade and commerce. - Discuss how towns became centers for various industries, contributing to economic growth. - Examine the guild system within towns and its impact on trade, regulation, and social welfare.

Natural Power and Large-Scale Industries: 16. Use of Natural Power and Development of Industries - Highlight the early use of natural power in medieval industries, such as wind and water mills. - Discuss the development of large-scale industries in silk, textiles, and consumer goods. - Explore the emergence of primitive factories and subcontracting systems in medieval economic structures.

Banking and Insurance: 17. Development of Banking and Credit Services - Explore the development of banking and credit services in 13th-century Italy. - Discuss the institution of insurance by guilds, covering various risks faced by their members. - Examine the role of guilds in providing insurance products related to old age, fire, shipwreck, and more.

The Medieval Contribution to Western Prosperity:

Political Decentralization as a Key Factor: 18. Reiteration of Importance in Western Europe's Prosperity - Reiterate the importance of political decentralization in Western Europe's prosperity. - Discuss how competition among political units constrained rulers and contributed to economic policy conducive to liberty. - Highlight the demonstration effect, where towns with freer markets became wealthier and more powerful, inspiring emulation.

City Influence and Cultural Development: 19. Goethe's Perspective on Political Particularism - Explore Goethe's perspective on the relationship between Germany's political particularism and culture. - Emphasize Goethe's opposition to political centralization and its perceived threat to liberty. - Discuss Goethe's insights on the impact of various German cities on culture and prosperity, highlighting the importance of princely residences.

Current Relevance of Goethe's Insights: 20. Reflection on Contemporary Relevance - Reflect on the contemporary relevance of Goethe's views, especially in the context of the European Union. - Discuss how Goethe's observations on unity without a large capital city resonate with the benefits of the single EU market. - Emphasize the importance of recognizing the genius of the people and the potential drawbacks of bureaucratic centralization.