In a nation wherein numerous pleasures, delights, and freedoms are taken for granted, we must remember that the striving for greater things must never end. As Sallust boldly explains:
Cui cum ad occasum ab ortu solis omnia domita armis parerent, domi otium atque divitiae, quae prima mortales putant, adfluerent, fuere tamen cives, qui seque remque publicam obstinatis animis perditum irent.
When all from the east to the west, having been subdued by force, obeyed the republic—while peace and wealth, which people think of chiefly, were abundant in the nation—nevertheless, some citizens sought to destroy both the republic and themselves with their stubbornness.
Sallust’s words serve as a reminder that, often, in nations where leisure and luxury are commonplace, complacency and stagnation follow. For example, it is commonly said that Rome fell due to an excess of luxury and detachment from its former striving for conquest and progress. Rather than fostering development, Rome descended into civil wars, corrupt leadership, and poor governance, resulting in economic decline and political instability.
What does this tell us today? Sallust reminds us that proclaiming the United States as the greatest nation—whether it is true or not—does not grant us the right to sit back and relax.
Rather, we must always strive for greatness in all fields, from science and technology to art and the humanities.
Thus, let us not be caught up in useless disagreements, as we too frequently observe in modern America’s siloed political ideologies. Let us also not destroy the pillars that have elevated us: moral objectivity, legal immigration, military strength, and more.
We must focus on the principles and innovations that have brought us past excellence, while remaining true to our values—all to ensure that America can truly be the greatest nation.