The Nature of America: An Evolving Society | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics

The Nature of America: An Evolving Society

The question at hand is whether America is based on certain non-negotiable values or if society is still being created and shaped?

211
The Nature of America: An Evolving Society
The CheatSheet

As Donald Trump’s days as the chief executive roll by, the nation’s structure continues to change, shocking much of society.. Bigotry, irrational assignments in the government and harmful policies occur every single day. But there is a camp of liberal people who refuse to accept reality and claim this is not what American society is like. These days, there is a lot of disagreement on what American society should be like. The question at hand is whether America is based on certain non-negotiable values or if society is still being created and shaped? Is it malleable or dominated by a certain theme?

American society is trying its best to cope with the changes that came with the new Executive Branch. Many of the nominations Trump has made are problematic. On the other hand, Congress is making it harder to approve Trump’s nominations. There have been continuous protests and rallies—which show the strong sentiments among the public in reaction to Trump’s presidency. On one hand, racism and bigotry is increasing, resulting in frequent hate crimes. But on the other hand, there is more awareness of how normal citizens can make a bigger difference. More Americans, are being politically active and are trying to reach out to them to make their voices heard.

Almost all Americans will agree on a set of values and rights that the founding fathers established. Yet, many people would prioritize certain values over others and frame them in various political contexts. Some might favor libertarianism and individualism while others might prefer freedom and equality. But does that change the nature of society or are all values equally important? Do current values imply different realities now than before? Societies can manipulate and designate certain values to specific times and places, but are there any fixed values that are constant along with time, space and across various societies?

From here, many people argue that the atmosphere Trump introduced actually reflects what America is all about: racism, white man’s domination and capitalism. Trump supporters are perpetuating stereotypes and a lot of people are starting to believe that this is the true reality of America. Trump called to make America great again, as if the past was better. It is undeniable that the nation changed a lot, from abolishing slavery, to the civil rights movement, lots of immigration and destructive global wars. But how representative are Trump’s ideas of the current American society with all the factors of globalization embedded in it? Of course, different communities with different views exist everywhere, but isn’t it one nation, indivisible, led by one leader who is supposed to be inclusive of all the people he represents, not just the majority that voted for him?

When analyzing the new atmosphere that came along with Trump, one realizes that there is a new form of racism and hatred. What Trump has called for resonated with much of the previous history of the nation, including the Ku Klux Klan, white supremacy and isolationism. But Trump definitely manages his policies in a different rhetoric than the white supremacy. He is well aware of the realities that unfolded in front of him after attaining the presidency. Trump is unique in a sense. He ran for the executive office for a reason and he has his own state of mind by which he intends to rule. Trump signals a new wave in American politics and perhaps he might engineer a new shift among society. While many consider it as a resemblance of the past, Trump’s America should be considered and studied as a new trend and not a reflection of the past.

While many of us might think that the nation is headed towards an uncertain destination, there is actually not much risk in such an aspect. The American nation is relatively new and young. It is far from being completely structured like other European or Asian nations. The nation is unfolding and it would be interesting to give a thought to what would be the dominant trend after Trump. Nonetheless, the American nation remains powerful and proud of its massive accomplishments, especially considering the short amount of time it took to achieve them. America is a malleable society in which different trends come up and society continues to evolve. The birth of the nation might be complete but its growth is still underway. Trump has introduced a new trend of American sociopolitical rhetoric and whenever a new trend appears, we need to understand it. In this case, that means we need to learn the most about Trump’s America.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Entertainment

15 Times Michael Scott's Life Was Worse Than Your Life

Because have you ever had to endure grilling your foot on a George Foreman?

1326
Michael Scott
NBC

Most of the time, the world's (self-proclaimed) greatest boss is just that, the greatest. I mean, come on, he's Michael Freakin' Scott after all! But every once in a while, his life hits a bit of a speed bump. (or he actually hits Meredith...) So if you personally are struggling through a hard time, you know what they say: misery loves company! Here are 15 times Michael Scott's life was worse than your life:

Keep Reading...Show less
Featured

12 Midnight NYE: Fun Ideas!

This isn't just for the single Pringles out there either, folks

16206
Friends celebrating the New Years!
StableDiffusion

When the clock strikes twelve midnight on New Year's Eve, do you ever find yourself lost regarding what to do during that big moment? It's a very important moment. It is the first moment of the New Year, doesn't it seem like you should be doing something grand, something meaningful, something spontaneous? Sure, many decide to spend the moment on the lips of another, but what good is that? Take a look at these other suggestions on how to ring in the New Year that are much more spectacular and exciting than a simple little kiss.

Keep Reading...Show less
piano
Digital Trends

I am very serious about the Christmas season. It's one of my favorite things, and I love it all from gift-giving to baking to the decorations, but I especially love Christmas music. Here are 11 songs you should consider adding to your Christmas playlists.

Keep Reading...Show less
campus
CampusExplorer

New year, new semester, not the same old thing. This semester will be a semester to redeem all the mistakes made in the previous five months.

1. I will wake up (sorta) on time for class.

Let's face it, last semester you woke up with enough time to brush your teeth and get to class and even then you were about 10 minutes late and rollin' in with some pretty unfortunate bed head. This semester we will set our alarms, wake up with time to get ready, and get to class on time!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

3389
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments