President John F. Kennedy addressed these words to the American people in 1963.Do people today face the same challenges about which he spoke so passionately many years ago? Or was the world of the 1960s dramatically different from today? It is a convenient assumption that past social and political realities differed dramatically from today’s issues. However, in thinking critically, can we say this with certainty? Kennedy talked about new hopes for starving peoples. Have starvation and despair ceased? Have Americans stopped their pursuit of equality, wider opportunities, and greater dignity for our nation? Have we charted all paths of world cooperation? Can modern technologies threaten democracy and international peace? Have people stopped being concerned about international security? Do we need action, ideas, and sustained commitment in politics? Perhaps individuals have faced similar challenges throughout history, and young people in the 21st century should have little difficulty understanding the concerns of John Kennedy and the youth of the 1960s. What remains different are the specific content of those challenges. Influenced by historic, political, and cultural circumstances, such as Kennedy described, individuals develop unique values, attitudes, and political affiliations.