STAGE 1: What does it mean to be a citizen-What Plato and Aristotle got WRONG
After being in Italy for three weeks now, I can attest that I am truly living in an area that is rich in history and culture, and that is sustained by its own unique bureaucratic system. Upon arriving and being surrounded by immense unfamiliarity, there was a sense of comfort that greeted me as well. I was 4,610 miles away, had just flown on my first airplane, and was going to be away from my family for longest period of time ever. Behind me was a considerate amount of support, and before me was endless possibility. Although being in a place starkly different that the community of which I abide and engage in daily, there was no apparent distinction between my role as a US citizen and my role as a student and temporary citizen of Italia, and furthermore a constituent of the community of Venezia. I then realized that in order to really take advantage of this opportunity and to fully experience Venice, I must first identify what it means to be a citizen of the United States, North Carolina, Winston Salem, and lastly Wake Forest University. Moreover, if there was an understanding of my culture and habits as a citizen, it would be easier to identify the different social norms, see where the habits overlap and really immerse myself in the ideas and values of Italian and Venetian Society.
Therefore, to define what it means to be a US Citizen means that you exercise your rights as a citizen by voting and being engaged, and you fight to ensure that others rights are preserved and not tampered with. In essence, you contribute positively to your society and make sure that everyone has the opportunity to do so, and if not it is the citizens who are responsible, not the government as an entity, as the government is a group of elected constituents. Being a US citizen means that you are guaranteed some basic human needs, like shelter, and food. That is not the case in Venice. Over the past three weeks, we have learned in the classroom and in the community, what it is like to be a temporary citizen of Venezia Italia versus being a tourist who paints the city to be something like “Disneyland” where all of the perceptions about Venice are fulfilled from a two hour tour before you get back on the cruise ship. To be a citizen of Venice, means that you constantly fight to keep housing that is being bought by foreigners to visit twice a year. It means you fight for jobs that requires more than catering to tourists. It means having pride in a place that many forget is a home.
While the two societies seem to contrast, there is a common similarity. With each city there is an expectation for the residents to contribute positively to the community. In pursuing the deeper meaning of what it looks like to contribute in a beneficial manner to your society I was plagued with contradiction. My presumption of how to be a “good citizen” could involve habits and action that are profoundly different than that of my neighbor, and while our behavior looks different, we are both striving to accomplish the same goal; to make our community exceptional. While it seems that it would be easy to come up with ideal models of citizenship, and many philosophers have tried, it is not an easy task to say the least. According to the theory of Dissoi Logoi, there are many contrasting sides to an argument including the premise surrounding what it means to be an ideal citizen.
Furthermore, I believe that the reason why Plato and Aristotle’s model for citizenship was not effective is because they didn’t allow the constituents to have any freedom in their role, which is key, as it is a part of human nature to evolve and change. Therefore, in order for citizens to really be able to reach their full potential as “ideal citizens” there must be goals that can be pursued and obtained in whatever manner citizens please. For example, there must be an atmosphere of harmonious living within the community. While I may choose to pursue this goal, by speaking to all of my neighbors when I pass them on my way to Rialto, my neighbors at Guggenheim make sure that guest know where their location is as to not disturb classes at Casa Artom. This seems to be the most desirable model because there are expectations put into place, but no limitations for the citizens.
In the light of Dissoi Logoi, I must confess that it can be difficult to communicate these expectations to the community, unless there is a clear definition of these expectations. For example, it must be told to the citizens that harmonious living means, every resident feels comfortable in their neighborhood, therefore, thinking about how your actions could affect the lives of your neighbors. My personal journey of Italian citizenship has transformed my thinking about the process tremendously. Before coming to Italy, I had never asked myself what it means to be a citizen of the US, and why I would chose to be a citizen here over another country. Truly Citizenship and the journey to becoming an ideal citizen is ever-evolving just as humans are.
Therefore, to define what it means to be a US Citizen means that you exercise your rights as a citizen by voting and being engaged, and you fight to ensure that others rights are preserved and not tampered with. In essence, you contribute positively to your society and make sure that everyone has the opportunity to do so, and if not it is the citizens who are responsible, not the government as an entity, as the government is a group of elected constituents. Being a US citizen means that you are guaranteed some basic human needs, like shelter, and food. That is not the case in Venice. Over the past three weeks, we have learned in the classroom and in the community, what it is like to be a temporary citizen of Venezia Italia versus being a tourist who paints the city to be something like “Disneyland” where all of the perceptions about Venice are fulfilled from a two hour tour before you get back on the cruise ship. To be a citizen of Venice, means that you constantly fight to keep housing that is being bought by foreigners to visit twice a year. It means you fight for jobs that requires more than catering to tourists. It means having pride in a place that many forget is a home.
While the two societies seem to contrast, there is a common similarity. With each city there is an expectation for the residents to contribute positively to the community. In pursuing the deeper meaning of what it looks like to contribute in a beneficial manner to your society I was plagued with contradiction. My presumption of how to be a “good citizen” could involve habits and action that are profoundly different than that of my neighbor, and while our behavior looks different, we are both striving to accomplish the same goal; to make our community exceptional. While it seems that it would be easy to come up with ideal models of citizenship, and many philosophers have tried, it is not an easy task to say the least. According to the theory of Dissoi Logoi, there are many contrasting sides to an argument including the premise surrounding what it means to be an ideal citizen.
Furthermore, I believe that the reason why Plato and Aristotle’s model for citizenship was not effective is because they didn’t allow the constituents to have any freedom in their role, which is key, as it is a part of human nature to evolve and change. Therefore, in order for citizens to really be able to reach their full potential as “ideal citizens” there must be goals that can be pursued and obtained in whatever manner citizens please. For example, there must be an atmosphere of harmonious living within the community. While I may choose to pursue this goal, by speaking to all of my neighbors when I pass them on my way to Rialto, my neighbors at Guggenheim make sure that guest know where their location is as to not disturb classes at Casa Artom. This seems to be the most desirable model because there are expectations put into place, but no limitations for the citizens.
In the light of Dissoi Logoi, I must confess that it can be difficult to communicate these expectations to the community, unless there is a clear definition of these expectations. For example, it must be told to the citizens that harmonious living means, every resident feels comfortable in their neighborhood, therefore, thinking about how your actions could affect the lives of your neighbors. My personal journey of Italian citizenship has transformed my thinking about the process tremendously. Before coming to Italy, I had never asked myself what it means to be a citizen of the US, and why I would chose to be a citizen here over another country. Truly Citizenship and the journey to becoming an ideal citizen is ever-evolving just as humans are.