In this lecture, philosopher Leonard Peikoff relates the ideas on which America was founded to the dominant ideological trends in modern American culture. From its beginning, says Dr. Peikoff, America has stood for the ideals of the Enlightenment: reason, individual rights, capitalism and the pursuit of happiness. Focusing on America’s response to the Sept. 11 attacks, Peikoff argues that dominant trends in America represent the opposite of these ideals.