The Way Things Ought to Be

Published: July 9, 2010

By Jim Lichtman
Image
Read More

In 1916, at the tender age of 22, Norman Rockwell submitted his first successful cover to the Saturday Evening Post – a magazine that became an essential in homes and business waiting rooms across America. Over the next 47 years, the illustrator produced another 321 original covers for the Post.

Of course, what Rockwell succeeded at most was depicting America in a kind of idyllic, small-town splendor; a place where citizens were upright, decent and loyal; where they are free to speak their mind, worship as they choose, and unite around a Thanksgiving in genuine harmony.

Rockwell said that he frequently chose people from New England for his models because “…[their] character is strong and unshakable.”  He thought of his paintings as “independent storytelling pictures.” They are indeed. The Spirit of Americashows a Boy Scout set against past images that symbolize the diversity and character of the nation.

Of course, what speaks clearly to me are the ethical issues he illustrates. The Problem We Live With shows us the face of civil rights.

The Golden Rule reminds us of how we should treat each other regardless of age, race or religion.

While playing to a sentimental moment in time when things seemed innocent, honest and good, Rockwell’s America actually lived through turbulent times – three wars, a Great Depression, Civil Rights, and multiple political assassinations. In examining the whole of his work, Norman Rockwell doesn’t always show us the way we are, but rather, the way we ought to be. The vast majority of painted illustrations generally favor a hopeful America, a country that aspires to be better than its problems.

The same can be said of ethics.

“Ethics is not about the way things are,” ethicist Michael Josephson writes. “It’s about the way things ought to be.”

Most of us strive to live out of a core set of ethical values. It’s not always easy – particularly when times are tough – and sometimes we fail, but we’ve come through hard times before, and we can come through them again, if we remember who we are and what we stand for – honesty, loyalty, responsibility, respect, fairness, compassion and citizenship – the same “strong and unshakable” values expressed in Rockwell’s America.

Comments

Leave a Comment



Read More Articles
The Latest... And Sometimes Greatest
Two Men. Two Visions.
With the constant churn of headlines—political strife, cultural division, and an unrelenting news cycle—it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, even numb. So when this week’s TIME...
May 22, 2025
What’s the Cost of Integrity? Why 60 Minutes Matters Now More Than Ever
Week after week, CBS’s 60 Minutes has done what journalism is supposed to do: hold those in power accountable, no matter the cost. The current...
May 21, 2025
Why Facts No Longer Matter (And Why That Matters)
In 2012, Justice David Souter—long retired, rarely seen—offered a quiet but powerful warning during a talk in New Hampshire. Reflecting on the erosion of civic...
May 19, 2025
The Cost of Doing the Right Thing
I met President Gerald Ford while working at KMIR-TV in Palm Springs. The event was held at the home of a wealthy supporter in Thunderbird...
May 16, 2025
When Conscience Led the Country
Jimmy Carter didn’t just talk about values—he lived them. Long before entering the White House in 1977, and long after he left, Carter viewed leadership...
May 15, 2025
Steady Leadership
Dwight D. Eisenhower didn’t lead with bravado. He didn’t govern by grievance. He led with character. A five-star general who commanded the Allied victory in...
May 14, 2025