As American as Norman Rockwell

From The Seventeen Traditions by Ralph Nader.

I had not realized that Nader was the son of Lebanese immigrants, raised in an Arabic speaking Greek Orthodox family. And yet, this, his semi-autobiography, is as American as Norman Rockwell. I am always fascinated by the role of culture as expressed through values and behaviors and this is an interesting summary of key elements of the great western enlightenment culture as experienced through a particular set of eyes at a particular time. Here are the seventeen traditions he values from his upbringing.

The tradition of Listening
The tradition of of the Family Table
The tradition of Health
The tradition of History
The tradition of Scarcity
The tradition of Sibling Equality
The tradition of Education and Argument
The tradition of Discipline
The tradition of Simple Enjoyments
The tradition of Reciprocity
The tradition of Independent Thinking
The tradition of Charity
The tradition of Work
The tradition of Business
The tradition of Patriotism
The tradition of Solitude
The tradition of Civics