The Strenuous Life (Speech, 1899)
Theodore Roosevelt
Roosevelt's call to action challenges the complacency that can follow inherited wealth. At the turn of the 20th century, the Gilded Age had seen vast fortunes amassed, often leading to a class of society that could afford to rest on the laurels of their predecessors. This speech, given in 1899, insists that true worth comes not from idle enjoyment but from continued effort and contribution. Roosevelt's vigorous ideal was a direct counter to the passive consumption and 'timid peace' of an emerging leisure class.