Comment on YSK - the crazy questions all jobs on usajobs.gov now ask
Horsecook@sh.itjust.works 1 day agomost people wouldn’t be able to name many founding principles of the united states.
You think most Americans aren’t familiar with
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
darkmarx@lemmy.world 1 day ago
That’s from a declaration of war, not the principles of the government. At least use “We the People” as that’s the constitution. Even that isn’t the same as the founding principles as it has been amended. The first 10 coming soon after writing.
Small independent governments that come together in times of need or one centralized government that handles the needs of all states? Thirteen independent economies or one for all thirteen states? Religion? Guns? President for life? A large percentage of the population being counted as on 3/5 of a person? These are principles of the founding of the country, many are debated to this day. And you will find many who agree with each side. There is a large portion of the population that argue the government was founded on Christian values. So no, I don’t think most people can adequately explain the founding principles of the United States other than “ma freedum.”
Horsecook@sh.itjust.works 11 hours ago
You’re moving the goalposts.
darkmarx@lemmy.world 37 minutes ago
Not at all, it was an explanation of the goal post, not moving it.
My assertion (goal post if you like): The first question is weird as the founding principles of the united states are vauge and vary depending on points of view.
My explanation (which was somehow construed as moving the goal post): The founding of the United States had conflicting goals, principles, intentions, and ideas; many of which are still debated today.
My conclusion: It would be difficult for the average person to give concrete examples of meeting those principles as the constitution is fluid and the most common thing people call a founding principle is “freedom.”
As far as the declaration of war part. “We hold these truths…” is from the Declaration of Independence. Where as “We the people…” is from the constitution. The former says all men are created equal. The latter says some men are only worth 3/5 of others. I mentioned it as another example of the contradictions in the founding of the country. So, if you are to answer a question about founding principles, which do you choose?
All this to say, the first question is meaningless unless the answer is just surface level.