In Parts I and II of "The Crisis," Professor Dungey and Walker have argued that a fundamental transformation in the economic and political arenas have had a profound impact on the lives of American citizens. The consequences of this transformation have marginalized the importance of the American citizen and crippled their economic capacity to pursue economic and material well-being. In Part III of "The Crisis," Professor Dungey and Walker explore the philosophical origins of the American preoccupation with vanity and the perception of political importance.