I think there is a direct connection to what Washington saw as an absolute imperative, the construction of a national identity and what Shaw spoke about as that identity. Washington seemed to feel that the national identity needed to be home grown. It is a desire to have an "internal" that holds true for the first few years of the republic. Shaw, even as a contemporary of Washington, is in a difficult position as far as where he is headed to. He needs to create the "external" American identity by contrasting us with the Europeans. There can be reliance on the "internal" identity. In order to be successful, it is important in Shaw's case to spell these out to the Chinese and other Asiatic peoples he came in contact with. Ultimately, the two identities will never merge, as even today, there is a view we as Americans have ourselves here at home adn how we see ourselves abroad. Just a thought.
I think there is a direct connection to what Washington saw as an absolute imperative, the construction of a national identity and what Shaw spoke about as that identity. Washington seemed to feel that the national identity needed to be home grown. It is a desire to have an "internal" that holds true for the first few years of the republic. Shaw, even as a contemporary of Washington, is in a difficult position as far as where he is headed to. He needs to create the "external" American identity by contrasting us with the Europeans. There can be reliance on the "internal" identity. In order to be successful, it is important in Shaw's case to spell these out to the Chinese and other Asiatic peoples he came in contact with. Ultimately, the two identities will never merge, as even today, there is a view we as Americans have ourselves here at home adn how we see ourselves abroad. Just a thought.
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