America is a country that is believed to have been built on the tales and stories told by its very first immigrants. They arrived in new lands that looked promising, and thus composed myths that could, later on, become the mythical pillars that the later generations hold as true. Some of the themes that are identifiable with the stories and myths told by the pioneer settlers centered on immigration, religion, the American dream as well as individualism. In the book American Mythos: Why Our Best Efforts to Be a Better Nation Fall Short Robert Wuthnow delves into the greatest narratives ever told about the goodness of this country. Some of the beliefs that were developed by these first immigrants have developed into myths that many learn by heart without necessarily deciphering into their truths. As it turns out, these myths and narratives are way different from what Americans practice in reality. It is for that reason that the author sought the views of current and, first and second generation immigrants who come into the country from all over the world, so as to establish their perception of the main themes that form part of American mythology. The one thing that stands out in the book is the availability of knowledge and the true meaning of what it means to be American but the lack of willingness to live up to the expectations the realities that are -projected by the American ideals and being truly American.
According to this book, it is easier to believe that everyone lives in the spirit of being American. Furthermore, the book states that Americans only wish that the American society meets those expectations because in reality that is not the case. Whatever happened to the spirit of unity of purpose and having a nationalized endeavor to make America the greatest country in the world and a comfortable home for all people from across the globe- nobody knows! The answer to that concern is decipherable from the fact that American values have been taken for granted, and people are no longer concerned with living responsibly in a safe society with an endeavor to leave it better than they found it (Wuthnow, 2006, p. 48). But no one should ignore the impact modernism, and integrated cultures can do to Americans. Popular culture, for instance, is changing the way people think or view themselves.
In recent times, Americans belonging to lower socioeconomic standards have shown a lack of interest in participating in making the country a better and hospitable place for everyone. That is partly because of the demographics which show how the poor and marginalized are sinking deep into poverty while the rich are becoming richer. The society is becoming highly individualized, but no one is to blame for that because those are the only fruits of capitalism. One may argue that the land of the free gives everyone an equal chance to have a piece of the American dream, but there are many situations that make it impossible to chase even that dream. The inequalities and disparities that glare at Americans show just how much a section of the population is favored more than the other. What is more, the ordinary citizens are only giving up, and that results into what is seen as a lack of patriotism. It is no wonder that the author pleads with the American society to embrace collectivity over individualism.
National consciousness seems to have flown out the window, the challenges that are facing the country are partly to blame for what is happening. There is no way Americans are going to be happy when the number of illegal immigrants is hitting a high that has never been seen in the past. Every American is concerned about their security which seems to be threatened from inside and outside of the country. It is becoming increasingly hard to have a class of immigrants who can be equated to the likes of Herman Sielcken and Jules Weber, for the simple reason that no one is comfortable having more immigrants come into the country, and illegal immigrants take away the jobs of legal migrants and Americans. The self- made men and women of the past equally faced a myriad of challenges just like those of today, but the environment is becoming colder and harder today more than the situation was a century ago.
Another thing that stands out about the American culture is its religious culture that remains a strong pillar in almost all institutions of governance. There is a clear insistent on the separation of the church and state yet the two merge in so many ways, and that makes the country more inclined to religion. But the good thing is that the country’s deep unspoken culture is naturally practiced in so many ways. That makes the sacrifice of moving to the United States worth it. Many leave their families and loved ones to move to a country they do not know so much about, and they meet new and different people who get to shape their lives. The nation keeps attracting new people all the time, and the successes and failures of many just show how tolerant and accommodating society is because in the end what matters is that immigrants achieve what they wanted in the first place. That the one way that religion is seen to have an impact on the American society especially seen through how Americans choose to be conservative.
It is no doubt that America is the most powerful nation in the world, its people are well aware that they have an individual responsibility towards making the country great. It is for that reason that many Americans take their place seriously and demand the respect of the rule of law as well as their rights and privileges. That indicates that they are not selfish when it comes to stamping authority because they believe that forms part of the moral obligations of every individual (Wuthnow, 2006, p. 218). But one wonders why Americans are degenerating to individualism and materialism so much so that many of them are forgetting what it means to be patriotic. The only time Americans show they are bound together is when there is a national disaster that calls for everyone’s attention; that is because that is when everyone “takes their rights and privileges very seriously” (Wuthnow, 2006, p. 218). It only means people are losing their sense of patriotism and unity. And that could be a problem brought by immigrants who have come into the country throughout the 20th and 21st centuries because they miss out on the celebration of being truly American.
According to the book, it becomes out rightly evident that the spirit is American patriotism is dying because most people are becoming individualized and are more inclined to their personal growth and development and not that of the entire country. That is one of the main reasons the country is losing civic vitality, (Wuthnow, 2006, p. 20). Even when things seem to be so well, they have fallen short of the Americans ideals upon which the country was founded. The country might be a world super power, enjoying its fruits of prosperity yet these achievements are not improving the country or creating a better society. Everyone seems to be riding on using the success card the country has held on to since it came into existence, but that very success is waning because the American civic virtue is on a downward spiral while many people are becoming selfish. The book serves as an eye opener to what truly ails America and is a good read for anyone who wants to have a critical view of the country.
Reference
Wuthnow, R. (2006).American Mythos: Why Our Best Efforts to Be a Better Nation Fall Short. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
