Stanley Renshons High Hopes: Clintons Actions :: essays research papers

Stanley Renshons High Hopes Clintons ActionsThroughout Stanley Renshons book, High Hopes The Clinton Presidencyand the Politics of intake, the presidents ability to govern has to do withthree main concepts ambition, courage, and integrity. Proving this, Renshonbelieves that the presidents psychology explains everything. "By examining therange of choices available to the president as well as those he selects, bothwithin and across circumstances, virtuoso can begin to discern the underlyingpatterns of psychology that shapes his behavior" (4). I tend to agree withRenshon when he states that Clintons psychology has a lot to do with how hereacts to a given situation and performs all tasks bestowed upon him."The term character is derived from the Greek word meaning engraving"(38). It can be defined as a singularity or distinctive combination of traits. BillClintons mortalality, beliefs, and attitude are a very distinctive part of hischaracter. As Renshon states, "Ch aracter shapes beliefs, information processing,and, ultimately, styles of behavior. It is therefore deep embedded in thefoundation of psychological functioning" (38). The three elements of characterthat Renshon states as being the "core" factors of a persons character areambition, character integrity, and relatedness.Ambition is a strong element is ones character which can be defined asa persons achievement and self regard. I tend to disagree with Renshon, when hestates that their is a danger with ambition, it "reinforces their sense of beingspecial it may facilitate their grandiosity" (40). According to MicrosoftBookshelf 95, grandiosity is someone or something that is characterized by thegreatness of area of intent. Renshon says that childhood grandiosity is thefoundation of adult ambition and that this is all instituted by a personsparents. I believe that a persons ambition is something that should beelaborated on to a greater extent often. It shows a person s moral and ethical beliefs.A persons integrity is an important element when shaping a personsambition and relatedness, according to Renshon. Throughout the book, whenRenshon refers to a persons integrity, in actuality he is referring to theirhonesty and how well they adhere to commendable values. The reason he is usingthe vocable, character integrity is, the term shares the same perspectives butuses a more "psychologically grounded perspective" (41). He believes thatideals are an important part of the word integritys definition. He states thatthey are the framework for interpersonal and personal ethics, they show how aperson conducts themselves when dealing with many different types of situations,they are a persons goals. "Ideals are aspirations that are often easier tohold in the abstract than they are to live by the calculate of real-world temptations