Crisis of Confidence: Main Idea
Crisis of Confidence: Main Idea
The Blame Game
At its core, this speech gets to the heart of how we respond to adversity in our lives.
And we're talking about real adversity, not the "my phone is about to die" kind of misfortune which, while certainly frustrating, hardly qualifies as genuine hardship. (Although there's nothing like the cold sweat-inducing panic that losing your charger induces.)
According to the American people, the issue is clear: there's not enough oil, not enough jobs, and not enough economic growth. President Jimmy Carter, however, interjects more than fifty shades of grey into the seemingly black-and-white issue, questioning if it's not our reaction to these circumstances that is to blame, wondering if some of our beliefs and habits aren't at least partially at fault for America's current situation.
Questions
- Who or what was to blame for America's dependence on foreign energy?
- Were Americans justified in thinking pessimistically about their future? Why or why not?
- Why did OPEC have so much power to control oil prices?
- What measures did Jimmy Carter propose regarding energy independence?
Chew On This
President Jimmy Carter committed a major faux paux by ignoring the realities of a struggling economy and blaming the nation's struggles on a poor attitude and lack of confidence.
Carter's calls for energy independence and reduced oil consumption, although largely unsuccessful during his presidency, can be viewed as the first step toward a national discussion on climate change and environmental activism.
Quotes
Quote #1
Mr. President, we're in trouble. Speak to us about blood and sweat and tears […]. (11)
In this quote, Jimmy Carter is actually quoting someone else—a private citizen with whom he spoke during a ten-day retreat at Camp David before delivering this speech. It speaks to the concerns Americans had about their nation's leadership. It speaks to the dwindling faith the American people had about their government's ability to lead them out of their troubles, hence their desire to see the government recognize the seriousness of their situation.
Quote #2
Our neck is stretched over the fence and OPEC has a knife. (22)
Another quote from his conference at Camp David, this statement captures, in vivid language, the feelings of helplessness and frustration many Americans felt at the time, as OPEC's ability to control the price of imported oil was wreaking havoc on the American economy. This quote also makes us want to reach for a turtleneck or a scarf…or are we alone in that thought?
Quote #3
Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns […] (34)
In this quote, Jimmy Carter drops the boom over what he feels to be a changing moral landscape. He laments the passing of what he feels are traditional American values, values like hard work, family and community, in favor of more individualistic and selfish concerns, concerns over money, power and status. And while this criticism was in part to blame for some of the backlash over this speech, in a country where we are always keeping up with the Kardashians or watching reality shows about housewives in (insert any major city), this quote at least makes us think about what we Americans hold dear in our hearts.
Quote #4
For the first time in the history of our country a majority of people believe that the next five years will be worse than the past five years […]. (35)
Perhaps the linchpin of his speech, Jimmy Carter offers here his most compelling evidence for the belief that Americans are losing confidence in their country. The only concern, however, is whether that belief reflects a lack of faith in the country on a deep, moral level, as contends President Carter, of if that quote reflects simply Americans' lack of faith in the President himself.
Quote #5
We've got to stop crying and start sweating, stop talking and start walking, stop cursing and start praying […]. (44)
Here again Carter quotes from a private citizen with whom he spoke at Camp David before delivering his speech. It's a call to action, a plea for change, a rallying cry intended to get the American people behind some of the specific policy proposals Carter makes in the speech in order to seek energy independence. Think of it as the presidential equivalent of cheerleading, with this speech serving as the pep rally before the big game (presidential pom-poms not included).