America is a great country, and I love the freedom I have as a citizen. In fact, the reason why I can write this blog, free from any persecution, is because of the rights secured by my government. However as I grow older, my perspective begins to broaden. Why can politicians continue to manipulate the system? Why is our economy unstable? Why is America hated by much of the world? Why do so many of my peers know little about the war we are involved in? It continually perplexes me to see my friends openly condemn the war, then ask me who the Taliban are. It's time to take a look in the mirror. I must admit I know little about details of our government and economy. At the moment, my perspective of America is a little skeptical of what happens behind the curtain. Before I'm pegged as an anti-American, I must clarify that I do love my country and what it stands for.
Democracy gives us the freedom of individuality. Our government allows us to have individual opinions. As an American, I can openly speak about my political beliefs and condemn or acclaim whoever I wish in the upcoming election. All Americans are guaranteed the freedom of speech by the United States Constitution. Any citizen in this country can fight for their beliefs, and potentially bring about change on the federal level. This is proven by our Bill of Rights. To secure the citizens' rights, the amendments were added to the United States Constitution. Would we have the 15th or 19th amendments if we didn't have the ability to fight for our rights? We are quite fortunate to be part of such a successful government. Another great addition to our country is our economy. Our capitalist economy puts the power of success or failure in our individual hands. I can invest my money in a business or spend it on a new iPhone. I can buy stocks or open a savings account. As an American, I have the ability to use my individuality and intelligence to climb the economic ladder, or fail miserably. Because of our successful governmental and economic choices, our entire lifestyle is ridiculously privileged. As an American teenager, I am the epitome of privileged! I have my own computer, clothes, bed, cell phone, and a room full of possessions. Electricity, running water, and transportation are all available from my comfortable four-bedroom two-story house. Hmmm... privileged? Is that an understatement?
With our cushioned lifestyle, Americans are indubitably proud. Many Americans tend to believe our country is the best. Of course all countries have pride, but how soon does this turn into complacent self-acclamation? I believe that our pride causes complacency, which leads to ignorance and apathy. I think this complacency blinds us. We need to take a cold, hard look at ourselves. Wherever we look, we find corrupted politicians and greedy officials. Our dollar is failing, Wall Street is beginning to slip, yet politicians and businessmen are thriving through manipulation. Why doesn't our federal government have control over this? Or do they have the choice, and choose to turn a blind eye? Corruption seems like it contaminates everything, even our beloved government. So much manipulation in our government and greedy pursuits are poisoning our economy.
Complacency in society has ruined America as a potential world model for democracy. However, we have moved away from any hope of this possibility by proving to the world that we are more concerned about the American Idol election than our own presidential election. Recently I watched a newswoman report the death of Bernie Mac while the ticker tape below reported the current situation in South Ossetia. Why are our celebrities more important than foreign affairs? Honestly, Americans are oblivious to foreign issues. We embarrass ourselves with our ignorance, and continue to give other countries reason to dislike us.(1) We can't possibly promote democracy in other countries when the general public cares so little. If we continually show the world how superficial we are, democracy and capitalism will crumble. American soldiers are dying for democracy while we prove our enemy's point.
So our government is corrupt, our economy is beginning to shake, and our society is still watching American Idol. Where do we go now? Instead of complaining about the darkness, we need to light a candle. We need to educate our youth, and in some cases our adults, in politics and the economy. Two half-semester courses of Participation in Government and Economics in a student's senior year in high school is not enough to make an educated decision in an upcoming election. As citizens in a world superpower, Americans have an obligation to pay attention! We need to at least know what our foreign policy is, if not what actions we are currently taking overseas. The film Lions For Lambs follows a professor's attempt to convince an apathetic college student to take action. He urges his student that “the problem is not with the people who started this. The problem is with us, all of us, who do nothing.” As a teenager, I realistically can only change myself. I plan to educate myself in American government, economy, and foreign affairs. Let's stop complaining. Let's do something.
1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6W3T7MTh4M
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9 comments:
I am impressed. Your conclusion reminds me of the Neimoller poem about World War II. Powerful.
very impressive indeed...
I like where your thoughts are, and how you are realizing what is happening out there. I believe it is also true about how Americans obsess over Idol, but can't tell you who Obama's V-P is. keep it up, your on the right track
-Van Der Bur
I like your conclusions and desire to educate yourself as well as others. I think you would enjoy 1984 by Orwell, he presents good points of view about government and complacency/apathy.
Some food for thought... is our country as free as we think it is. For example, you mention investing and failing or succeeding in the stock market, but what about the bail out of the mortgage companies. Shouldn't they be accountable for there mistakes as we are as an individual would has made a bad investment? Does this governmental regulation make us less free as a home owner?
Stilson
P.S. At least the French like America again.
Congrats on your blog! I've got so many thoughts, it is like drinking from a firehose. This is a GREAT project. Kudos to your instructor.
My initial thoughts:
1. People toss around the word "democracy" like it is the be all and end all. Not so. The key to those who subscribe to American exceptionalism is that this country (probably more than any other) protects liberty and freedom. But it is no necessarily democracy per se that accomplishes that protection. I'd posit that liberty is the end, and our FORM of democracy is the means to that end. But note that we are not a pure democracy where majority rules. We are actually a constitutional republic with checks and balances. In fact, I believe a pure democracy is a huge threat to liberty. After all, in a pure democracy, 50.99999% of the people can vote to put the remaining 49.111111% in jail.
Democracy? Yes. Liberty? No.
2. One nitpick -- our government does not allow to have our individual opinions. That right is conferred by God (or our creator or nature or whatever metaphysics one subscribes to). Our goverment permits us to EXPRESS our opinions. And, in so doing, they respect our right to freedom of conscience.
3. Speaking of rights, It might be a good start to discuss the difference between rights as in "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men . . . are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" (I quote from memory) on the one hand, and the "right" to public education or the "right" to social security or the "right" to health care," on the other. Two very different things. There is a difference between a right and a benefit. One has rights by virtue of being a human being. One has benefits by dictate of government.
3. I'd also question your reaction to the nation's economic troubles. Why is it the responsibility of the federal government to "have control over this"? Is it? Should it be?
4. Finally, how about this for being a contrarian? I will suggest that it is a GOOD thing that not all Americans are totally clued in to politics. Those that are up on all the world and national affairs are more likely to vote and to make educated, considered decisions when they do. That is about 25% of the population. There are another 15% to 25% who catch up on it all between Labor Day and Election Day. The rest, I'd suggest, don't care that much and therefore don't vote. So what? Part of having individual liberty is having the freedom not to care, right? Besides, isn't it true that most Americans are too busy raising families, working, starting businesses, volunteering their time to charities, etc. to bother with what goes on in Washington? Maybe they have better things to do with their time. And isn't this a GOOD thing? I'm not saying that anything should be secret, just that the information is there for anyone to access. This is not a closed society. The internet has cause a revolution in access to information. One can get the information if one wants. Let's leave it to the "marketplace of ideas" and if some Americans don't want to go shopping, well that's the beauty of living in a freee society.
I take issue with the YouTube video you linked to. It is a cheap shot, a little condescending and, in my view, illustrates nothing. One could go to Australia --- or any country for that matter --- and find enough ignorant people to film a 10 minute video. What is your point? That those individuals are bad people?
So certain people are ignorant of geography or world politics. So what? There are plenty of people in New York City or Paris or Sydney or London who have know nothing about Wall Street finances, or Supreme Court decisions, or Religion, or Farming, or any number of areas that affect them in real and tangible ways. Does that mean that they all need to get college degrees? When other countries that begin with the letter "U" (Uruguay? Uzbekistan? United Arab Emirates?) do as much good for the world as the US does, then we can talk.
Just my contrarian, libertarian, American Exceptionalism view.
I look forward to more posts.
Ted
Very nice...
I do have some food for thought and somewhat of a different opinion on the matter. Do not take anything personal, I am merely posing some additional questions for you to consider. As a former student of Tammie's, I learned that the more counter arguments you consider, the stronger you can make your argument and stand by your opinion.
You mention that as an American you have the freedom and privilege to the rights stated in the Constitution. In reality, do you really have these rights? How does the Patriot act effect these? If in fact you mention something in your blog that threatens the U.S. government is it now possible that you are "flagged" as an anti-American and thus are placed on a terrorist suspect list? So then are you really free to speak what you mean?
Additionally, you mention that more Americans care about American Idol than the presidential election. Do you have data on this? Last year's American Idol ratings decreased and as a result a new "judge" was added to the show. Does this mean that more people are paying attention to other things besides American Idol, possibly the state of the economy?
You state that Americans pay more attention to pop culture events than to current events. But then you quote a line from a movie. Does this mean that your information and motivation for views on the government comes from the film industry? Why not choose to quote a politician or former president? Could this be a reason why Americans pay more attention to pop culture? If in fact more people are watching American Idol than paying attention to the upcoming election, how will this affect election itself? Will these individuals vote as uneducated voters and in turn cause more harm to the country or will they not vote at all? If in fact the number of uneducated voters increases due to the lack of attention spent on the election, do you think that the electoral college will step in as the reason it was founded was too make sure the "right" president is chosen?
-Stephanie Brooker, METS '06
I like Ted!
I think Ted makes a good point about voters. I believe that to some degree our nation is successful because more educated people tend to be "involved" and vote. Perhaps I'm an aristocrat? No. I believe it's a noocrat. Perhaps we already have a noocracy to some degree. Well, that's probably too much to hope! Some days maybe it's an idocracy? I digress. I love being in a country where I can say idiocracy freely.
So, I am very behind!
Your writing reminds me (of course) of Fahrenheit 451. What three things Bradbury said were missing from society was: 1)quality info; 2) leisure to digest that info; 3) the ability to act on 1 and 2.
I often wonder if we have become too complacent with our news and other factual information, which leads us to make incorrect choices and so on.
Glad you are one of the thinking ones.
:-)
I totally agree with the whole idea that celebrities are far more glorified and of concern than of the actual situations at hand in our world economy. I think it is almost disgusting that we were more concerned with the death of some addict, Anna Nicole Smith, than we were of our own economy, own government, and how people around the world are starving. Maybe if we were more concerned about other things, some light would be shed on our ignorance. I wish more kids were educated on matters at hand, like national health care. It is a great idea, but it is plausible? A lot of them don't even realize that many Canadians (yes, that country up north with the red maple leaf on their flag) cannot get immediate health care if their government does not see it as "problematic." So the idea of everyone having health care is beautiful and excellent, but communism is a good idea too but it never worked. Nor will it ever. And when my peers call me selfish and ignorant for being AGAINST national health care, I am both offended by their quickness to judge me but how every fact they spill is something said by the media. Maybe if they lived it first hand and experienced it, then maybe they would get a better picture. My mother has told me she has had Canadians come to her center crying and shaking because they're not getting the medical attention they need or their loved ones are suffering because the government says, "Your kidney failure can wait, but right now, this man needs stitches for his finger!"
I guess what I'm trying to get at here is a lot of youth is manipulated by the media in every way, especially with the government. I hate the news. I hate how one channel preaches this but the other preaches a completely different point of view. I can never, ever get my facts straight. And you mentioning how Bernie Mac's death was mentioned in greater detail than problems elsewhere is just a prime example of how the media is both misleading and completely influential over our society as a whole.
Maybe I'm bitter and maybe I am seemingly a hypocrite by saying so, but I don't believe in censorship. However, I DO believe in heightening the media for the sake of enlightening the people in the United States who chomp down on their expensive foods, drink bottled water, while watching one of the many televisions in their house. We, every single American who is middle class and above, have these "opportunities" for a better life, and granted, I am grateful for clean water, a solid house, plumbing, and all other things that make my life less difficult, but I think one more thing that needs to be essential to the American lifestyle is not pride but gratefulness, being humble, and helping those in need (even the suffering in our own country!).
This is completely all over the place, but I hope you get my ideal. Basically, we all just need a little enlightenment of the situations at hand, but we also need to realize being great is much more than having a great economy and a "stable" government.
Sorry this is an epic fail, Sarah :-(
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