The purpose of this paper is to discuss and to describe the American way of life. It will attempt to identify certain aspects and characteristics that make up the American way of life. It will also attempt to describe and discuss the “American way of life” as the student perceives it. For me I would say that the American way of life can be characterized as a set of two extremes and a middle round. To further reiterate my point, the “American way of life” is a set of various, conflicting and colliding contradictions, ideas, thoughts, perspectives and standpoints.
I have arrived at this conclusion with regards to the American way of life because I have experienced and saw these contradictions every day of my life. I see it whenever I am riding a bus, going to the market or simply walking in the streets. To further clarify and solidify this conclusion, I would cite certain aspects and characteristics present in the American society today. Around the world, America has been viewed and interpreted in a hopeful and optimistic nature as the land of opportunity, land of milk and honey, the greener pastures and the place where the American Dream is possible.
The country therefore has been the refuge and bastion of almost all of the people of the world with regards to economic and financial enjoyment. During the early years of its existence up to today, America has been accepting and inviting immigrants and individuals to its shores. African-Americans, Irish, Dutch, Germans, Italians, Indians, Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipinos and Jews have entered America and most of them have been successful and fulfilled in their chosen career (). Despite these racial melting pot being evident, certain sectors of the society, groups and organizations harbored ill feeling and discrimination against these immigrants and their families. Racial discrimination and other form of abuses are perpetrated by groups and individuals that tend to look down and see these peoples as lower class citizens of the Union ().
They organize lobby groups that would pressure the government in restricting immigration and influencing government policies with regards to issues that concern these immigrants. They even advocate doctrines of Aryanism and neo Nazism that tend to cast these immigrants in a bad light. Books and publications that contain their ideas and teachings are freely and widely distributed to the masses (). One example of this is the book author William Pierce and his dream of a pure and Aryan America. This idea can be clearly seen in his book entitled “Turner Diaries” in which he predicted the fight against non whites and Jews while exposing his biases and prejudices against other non white races.
To a non American, this can be labeled as acts of madness, imagine a society that states that all men are created equal while permitting authors and groups to write books and organize meetings against non whites? Imagine a society that explicitly advocates freedom and equality for all people but do not solve biased and prejudicial standpoints. To this an American would simply say that these people, no matter what their viewpoints and mentality are only expressing their views and opinions that are in accordance with the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
America is one of the richest and most powerful countries in the world today. Their military presence is felt and seen by all leaders and nations. America and its leaders can exert influences in order to change and to alter policies and measures adopted by national governments. The American economic system is at its strongest this past and present century. Wealth, prestige, profit have been bestowed to American companies and businessmen. In this façade of riches and glory, a bad side of America still exists. People are still suffering, homeless men and women are still present in the streets of New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles (). Corruption, petty crimes, murders and other anomalies are prevalent and common. Sentences and punishment of offenders and criminals have not been properly implemented.
An example of this is the judge in Vermont who sentenced a criminal to a 60-day sentence for raping a 10-year-old child over a course of 4 years. Another case of this contradiction is the case of an Ohio judge who did not give any jail time for a man who had sex with two male minors. In other countries, this leniency is not and will never be allowed, criminals fond guilty with heinous crimes like rape are sentenced to lifetime imprisonment or even death.
With regards to religion, America is also a melting pot. This society accepts any religion, be it Islam, Christianity, Hinduism, Anglicanism, Buddhism and even Satanist. Despite this myriad of religions and religious organizations, actions and policies are prevalent in society that is contrary to the laws set by the Bible and the teachings of Christianity (). Euthanasia is partially accepted in Oregon, gambling is allowed in Las Vegas, pornography and the adult entertainment business is flourishing in California, groups that advocate sex with minors are free to roam to spread their views, abortion is legal and sexual permissiveness is extensive. These lines of thought will be in contradiction to such countries as Iran and Saudi Arabia where extreme modesty and non secular mentality is exhibited. In other countries, the practice of abortion in theory is not evident while advocacy that deals with sex with minors is practically removed ().
America is also full of contradiction and conflicting ideas. In the world economy, it advocates greater trade liberalization, open market and world unity in terms of market and production. Through the World Bank and the World Trade Organization, it seeks to enforce its standards and models to other countries and societies even if these ideas will not be patterned to a particular society. Despite these conditions, contradictions exist when other countries would ask the same conditions and restrictions from the United States (). For example, the United States did not approve the United Nations Human Rights Council, a body that would try human rights abuses for the flimsy reason that Cuba, Iran and other states critical to U.S. foreign policy will weld a strong influence on the international body mentioned. In the economy, although the United States preached the idea of new laissez faire, trade liberalization and open market, the federal government still protects the agriculture and manufacturing sector of the nation’s economy. It puts up barriers in the form of high and stringent standards with regards to foreign products and merchandise that would be imported to the country ().
It still supports American farmers by giving subsidies and other financial assistance even though other countries have been prohibited in doing so. The US markets is also free for foreign products that cannot directly compete with products made by U.S. based companies and firms while preventing and prohibiting merchandises that would directly compete with U.S. products. This double face when dealing with the economy is also evident in foreign affairs and diplomatic relations with other countries. Regimes, governments and even groups are implicitly or explicitly supported by the United States if these actions will be beneficial to them while it fights against them if these same regimes and government disagrees with the policies taken by the United States ().
An interesting point in this apparent contradiction is the case of Afghanistan. During the invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet forces in the 1980’s, the United States through the CIA supported and gave material support to the mujaheddins that were fighting the Soviet army (). It gave them financial support and material supports in terms of small arms, Stinger missiles and even trained some of these Afghan freedom fighters. The US also contacted wealthy Muslims to support and to financially aid the war against the Soviet Army and one of these wealthy Muslims would be Osama bin Laden who would in turn wage jihad against U.S. interests. Today, America is fighting in the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq against forces that they previously trained, equipped and supported. In other words, America is fighting the ghost-s that they themselves created and nurtured.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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