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America
FOUR FREEDOMS & BEYOND
October 2022 | A Midwest Partners' Publication | FourFreedomsAndBeyond.com
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A speech by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on January 6, 1941, not January 6, 2022, inspired the
Four Freedoms and Beyond
project in Princeton earlier this year.
At the outset of World War II, he described four essential human freedoms: Freedom from Fear, Freedom from Want, Freedom of Worship, and Freedom of Speech.
Iconic American artist Norman Rockwell was asked to depict what Roosevelt talked about. Rockwell’s images of the Four Freedoms and American culture inspired millions to ponder the meaning of subjects like democracy, patriotism, character, and values.
Photographer Maggie Meiners’ “Rediscovering Rockwell” exhibit at the Princeton Public Library in May and June focused further discussion in churches, the Grace Theater of Festival 56, Logan Junior High, and Freedom House.
Social scientists and marketers know belief and knowledge are not the same
AspeechbyPresidentFranklin Delano Roosevelt on January 6, 1941, not January 6, 2022, inspiredtheFourFreedomsand Beyond project in Princeton earlierthisyear.
Freedom of Worship, and FreedomofSpeech.
IconicAmericanartistNorman Rockwell was asked to depict what Roosevelt talked about. Rockwell's images of the Four Freedoms and American And when that information is incorrect, intentionally or culture inspired millions to not, it's no wonder we're not getting along very well. But it ponderthemeaningofsubjects doesn’t have to be that way. As Ms. Meiners and Mr. like democracy, patriotism, Rockwellhaveshownus,wecanrediscoverwhatallowsus character,andvalues. tolivemoreatpeacewithtoday'sAmerica. PhotographerMaggieMeiners' Weprobablywillnotagreeonmanyissuesaddressedin "Rediscovering Rockwell" thesepages.Wehopethatthemixofideasandimageswill exhibit at the Princeton Public helpus all get a better sense of who we were, who we are LibraryinMayandJunefocused and,equallyimportant—whowewanttobe. further discussion in churches, theGraceTheaterofFestival56, LoganJuniorHigh,andFreedom House. We hope the discussion willcontinue. Socialscientistsandmarketers know belief and knowledge are not the same regarding behavior. We make choices based on habit as well as emotionandinformation.
What do you think
about January 6? Our forefathers and mothers certainly understood that their freedomswereunderfire. Buttimeshavechanged.With the seemingly uncontrollable, turbo-charged progress of technology and knowledge, the times we now live in profoundly differ from the America that Rockwellcelebrated. Maggie Meiners’ photographs, updatingRockwell’simages,ask these questions: how do we differfromthosewholivedback then? How do the four freedomsaffectusnow? Ourgrandparentslivedthrough the depression, World War II, the Korean War and the cold war. Then there was black and white TV, rock and roll, Disneyland, soda shops, suburbs, the civil rights movement, Vietnam and the tumultofthe1960s.Thepaceof progressshiftedintooverdrive. In 2022, we see much, much more than before. Familiar Table of Contents social norms changing so fast have that we been can’t keep up. Many of us feel whiplashedbytheexpectations and demands of people who rarely had much of a public voice.So...
What'sThisAllAbout?
America....................................2 WhoWeWereThen.............3 WhatReallyMatters........4-5 WhatAreYouAfraidOf?......6 WhoDoWeWantToBe?...8
What Do You Think About January 6?
ThepeopledepictedbyRockwell'sFreedomofWorshipin themid-1900swerequitedifferentfromtoday. regarding behavior. We make choices based on habit as well as emotion and information. And when that information is incorrect, intentionally or not, it’s no wonder we’re not getting along very well. But it doesn’t have to be that way. As Ms. Meiners and Mr. Rockwell have shown us, we Look for this symbol on fourfreedomsandbeyond.co m to find the name of the person behind the quotes in thissupplement.
The people depicted by Rockwell’s Freedom of Worship in the mid-1900s were quite different from today.
can rediscover what allows us to live more at peace with today’s America. We probably will not agree on many issues addressed in these pages. We hope that the mix of ideas and images will help us all get a better sense of who we were, who we are and, equally important — who we want to be.
What’s This All About?
Our forefathers and mothers certainly understood that their freedoms were under fire. But times have changed. With the seemingly uncontrollable, turbocharged progress of technology and knowledge, the times we now live in profoundly differ from the America that Rockwell celebrated. Maggie Meiners’ photographs, updating Rockwell’s images, ask these questions: how do we differ from those who lived back then? How do the four freedoms affect us now? Our grandparents lived through the depression, World War II, the Korean War and the cold war. Then there was black and white TV, rock and roll, Disneyland, soda shops, suburbs, the civil rights movement, Vietnam and the tumult of the 1960s. The pace of progress shifted into overdrive. In 2022, we see much, much more than before. Familiar social norms Table of Contents have been changing so fast that we can’t America ��������������������������������������������������������������2 keep up. Many of us feel whiplashed by Who Are We?������������������������������������������������������3 the expectations and What Really Matters ����������������������������������������4-5 demands of people who What Are You Afraid Of? ������������������������������������6 rarely had much of a public voice.
Who Said It?
