The things about my cultural heritage that are important are a love and respect for language, a respect for history and the hard trials of the American experiment, and the values of Jefferson. Additionally the attitudes of the best of the New England settlers, the western expansion pioneers, and the best humanist tradition of men like James. A courage and curiousity about making things better, a sense of adventure, and an interest and respect for basic humanity wherever found.

The things about my cultural heritage that I would drop in a New York second are jingoism, chauvinism, a peculiarly American brand of assertive ignorance, provincialism in political theories, trickle-down Keyesian economics, materialist psychological stunts, and an unreasoning lust for winning lucre. Also the widespread desire to bamboozle for profit, and the embrace of mindless entertainment as a substitute for individual betterment and rational thought.

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