American Fear is Stopping Progress and Change
In today’s day and age there is an intense desire to stay American. To retain the things that are quintessentially America: football, barbecue, Bruce Springsteen, cowboys, and McDonald’s, to name a few. Another quintessentially American concept is fear. Our nation seems to have a horrifying fear of change–positive and negative–that brings progress to a standstill. We cannot move forward because we are so paralyzed with the fear that if we change something, we are straying from the core values and traditions of this country. A nation that improves and changes for its citizens is successful. And there has been progress - enslavement is illegal and women can vote. At the same time, the average American owes 38,000 dollars in debt, the largest prison population in the world is American, the healthcare system is a nightmare compared to other developed nations like Canada and the United Kingdom, and the rights of women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community are still in question.
Why? Among other reasons, the fear of change.
One of the pillars of a functioning, democratic society is a system of elections by the people. Our system for electing the president, however, is laughably–and concerningly–undemocratic. Individuals who have lost the popular vote have held office five separate times. The results of the 2016 presidential election are the most recent example. Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by about 2.9 million votes and Donald Trump was inaugurated into office the following January. It is incredibly clear that our nation would be a very different place today had the will of the people manifested itself in the White House. If we abolish the Electoral College and stray from the ideals of our founding fathers, are we sacrificing the values that this nation stands for? That seems like an extreme take, but the nation doesn’t want to open that can of worms by admitting that something created by our founding fathers could be faulty. That would disrupt the fragile facade that America is a perfect nation that has done and will continue to do no wrong.
This fragile facade is furthered in my favorite example, capitalism. Now, this is not an argument against capitalism–it’s a beneficial institution. This is an argument against the American interpretation of what capitalism is. In an Ipsos Global and Reuters study that consisted of 13,000 people, America ranked as the 5th most workaholic country of developed nations. This was determined by the fact that 57% of American workers do not take their allotted vacation days. Compared to France, where 89% of workers take advantage of their contractually given breaks, that says something about American work culture. This is systemic. American employers are not required to give their employees any days of paid leave, including national holidays. On the other hand, in Britain, 9 holidays and 28 other days, totaling 37 days of paid leave, are protected by national law. Across developed nations, this is a trend–one America is exempt from. The importance, or rather lack thereof, placed on medical or maternity leave is also contrary to most other countries. America has been an economic powerhouse and intrinsic to the global economy for a very long time and contributions to the world economy and trade are a point of pride dating back to the first outputs of cotton from the south. Losing that extremely valued position would be catastrophic for our national identity. But, it begs the question of priorities: what is more important: our coveted international position or the mental health of our citizens?
Another classic example is the Constitution. The fear is that changing a document that is so powerful and intrinsic to our nation would rock the very foundation of America. Many pro-gun activists argue that their right to bear arms is protected by the Second Amendment. Which it is–to a degree. The right to bear arms is protected by the Constitution in the context of “a well-regulated Militia” as it is “necessary to the security of a free State” and “the right of the people to keep and bear Arms”–in that context–“shall not be infringed.” The militia part is often excluded. It is relatively undisputed that firearms in the wrong hands have caused a fair amount of grief and tragedy for the American public. Throughout American history, from racial violence to school shootings, guns and other firearms have been used as a tool for catastrophe. Having a shotgun in your home for protection or even having rifles for sport hunting is one thing, but no American citizen needs an assault rifle in their home. Children and innocent people are dying and yet “it is an American right.” Limiting who can have access to firearms and ammunition does not infringe upon the rights entitled to American citizens. Our nation seems to be incapable of considering any issue in moderation; rather, we swing from extreme to extreme, ignoring the middle of the spectrum. We don’t consume in moderation. Overconsumption, obesity, and the wealth gap are all manifestations of that.
Extremism and fear of change are problems that cripple our nation. At the same time, America is not a horrible nation with a dysfunctional society. As a country, we have prevented ourselves from bettering. There are so many tangible things that could be done to ensure that our lives and the lives of our children are easier and of better quality, but things like fear, ego, and extremism stop us from achieving that goal. We have to make educated, factual decisions rather than depending on emotions to help ensure that we can make this country the best possible version of itself. And, we have to let go of our fear that we are harming what it means to be an American and understand that America is a nation of change. It is a nation that continues moving forward for the betterment of her citizens.
