"AMERICA IS COMING APART! For most of our nation’s history, whatever the inequality in wealth between the richest and poorest citizens, we maintained a cultural equality known nowhere else in the world-... But there is a problem: it's not true anymore, and hasn’t been progressively since the 1960's" (Murray 348). This is how Charles Murray begins his essay, "The New American Divide". Unfortunately, I believe that this claim is true. In Americas history no matter your economic standing there was commonality between Americans that doesn’t truly exist anymore. There is a very present gap between our countries rich and poor economically, as well as culturally and in order to change that we, as a country, need to recognize the causes for this divide. …show more content…
No matter your religious stand point it is important to understand that the majority of Americans, specifically 86%, identify themselves as Christians and that our country was founded on Christianity. Therefore, religion plays an enormous role in our countries politics and the laws that govern the people. Due to the impact religion has on our law making it is important that people of different religions make an attempt to coexist with one other. Murray argues that the lower and middle class are becoming more secular and straying away from religion at more expediential rate than that of the upper class, and because of this there is a growing gap in our culture (350). I agree with Murray that religion is playing a role in this gap but I believe the problem is not purely rooted in people straying away from Christian ideology, but more so the inability for people of different beliefs to respect and collaborate with each other. So often we hear an idea from a political party that we do not identify with, and so easily shut down that idea or opinion due to the fact that it is different than our own. The reason this is such a big deal is that it is affecting Americans of all different economic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Let me try and illustrate this connection …show more content…
One topic people of different religions and beliefs commonly argue about is marriage; what it truly is, who can partake, what is symbolizes and what importance it has. Marriage is so imporat I was curious to find out what the current rate of divorce is in America so I decided to research it. I found an overwhelming 50% of marriages are ending in divorce. I then decided to try and look up different definitions of marriage. All I could seem to find was "a legal relationship between two people." So the only difference between a girlfriend and wife is that the relationship with the wife is legally recognized? No wonder 50% of marriages end in divorce, they are just legal breakups right? I then decided to look up a variety of different religions divorce rate and look at the one with the best results definition of marriage and found the following definition. Marriage- "the covenant a man and a woman establish between themselves, a partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring". Wow, that’s a bit different. I'm in no way saying that is the true definition or the end all be all, but I believe its closer to what marriage is intended to be then purely a legal relationship. Also I am hoping I'm not conveying the idea that I believe
America was once known as the land of opportunity. However, that is no longer the case. Americans are still suffering from a depression that began three years ago in 2008. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2007, the United States unemployment rates were 4.6 percent. In 2009, one year after the depression began, the unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent. Millions of Americans are living in poverty, unable to afford the basic necessities. On the other hand, there is a minuscule percent of the population that are billionaires. Written in 2005, Holly Sklar’s essay “The Growing Gulf Between the Rich and the Rest of Us” argues that if something isn’t done about the growing inequality between the rich and the poor, the American economy as a whole will weaken. A year later, the Economist published the article, “Inequality and the American Dream” implies that the American dream is broken. Sklar’s argument sheds light on the Economist’s argument. In particular, Sklar’s use of facts regarding the wealthiest Americans, the poorest Americans, and the discussion of the impact of inequality on society provide insight into the Economist’s article.
3. What are the effects of this wealth inequality in the US and what causes it, as well as some possible solutions and their ramifications, will all be discussed and answered below. There has always been a wealth gap between the richest and poorest in society. However, in the past decade, the wealth gap between the richest and poorest citizens in the US has been growing rapidly. In the 70s and 80s, the wealth and income growth rate for both poor and rich people were similar, however, between the years 2009 and 2012 the top 1% income increased 31% while for the bottom 20%, their income actually dropped and for the vast majority of Americans, the average yearly income only increased by 0.4% [4].
Is America going to collapse due to our economic inequality? During the second major industrialization, extreme wealth hit America and monopolies were born in the business world as well as more defined classes based on wealth. Robber barons like Vanderbilt, Carnegie and Rockefeller held a new kind of wealth, owning industries while the workers under them lived in the slums of the city. Modern day America has founded laws against monopolies and such, but we are seeing the three standard American classes of wealth, upper, middle and lower, change. The upper class becoming wealthier, the middle class disappearing and joining the ever growing lower class. The article “Trouble with the Super-Rich” by Barbara Ehrenreich brings to front the problem
New brands of distinctly American Christianity began developing early in the country’s history. Before the revolution, George Whitefield set the stage for American religious movements. The most important factor that helped launch these movements was the American Revolution. The country was ripe with conversation and action on a new understanding of freedom. The revolution “expanded the circle of people who considered themselves capable of thinking for themselves about issues of … equality, sovereignty, and representation” (6). The country was beginning to move toward an understanding of strength lying in the common people, and the people’s ability to make their own personal decisions on issues of leadership and authority. There was a common belief that class structure was the major societal problem. The revolution created the an open environment that pushed equality of the individual, allowing political and religious beliefs to flourish and grow without being held in check by authoritarian leaders.
Religion has ingrained itself into mainstream American politics. The current Reform Party and many portions of the Republican party platforms evidence this.
At this time in our nation's history, two-hundred thirty years and counting, there is a great debate raging on. In many peoples' eyes our country has made a turn for the worse. We have thrown our Forefather's to the wayside, and there belief in strong Christian influence along with it. To them all could be solved if we merely "re-instituted" the Christian morals and teachings that this country was founded on. On the other hand, there are many who are calling for the complete and utter extraction of all Christian and other religious beliefs from public life and governmental law. To these individuals nothing good and beneficial can ever come from religion. Both of these belief structures are sadly flawed to their very core. But where is the middle ground and why haven't we been able to find it. This is precisely where Jon Meacham's American Gospel shines like no other. If nothing else Meacham's book is an answer to the times. American Gospel covers religion, philosophy, and ideology that shaped American law and thought from the birth of our rich and diverse nation to the time of the Reagan presidency.
...ment and the people, more Americans can see the equality promised them: equality of opportunity. Only through community, meaning effort from both citizens and government, can inequality be resolved. No one-sided approach can rectify a situation that envelops all of society. Government must set aside partisanship in order to produce targeted legislation that addresses the declining transportation, education, and economic infrastructure. Meanwhile, the community must realign their ideals and realize that together these problems can be solved. However, as long as materialism and overt individualism dominate the community and dysfunction and gridlock have a foothold in government, the schism between rich and poor will continue to grow. The two sides will “live increasingly separate lives” (Sandel), and the goal of economic equality slips father and farther from repair.
Marriage is the legal or formally recognized union of a man and a woman, or two people or the same sex as partners in a relationship. Marriage rates in the United States have changed drastically since the last 90’s and early 2000 years (Cherlin 2004). Marital decline perspective and marital resilience perspective are the two primary perspectives and which we believe are the results from the decline. The marital decline perspective is the view that the American culture has become increasingly individualistic and preoccupied with personal happiness (Amato, 2004). The change in attitudes has changed the meaning of marriage as a whole, from a formal institution
Mitt Romney speaks of this very straightforwardly. America must choose the right path to follow in order for future success in our politics, and overall society. As Americans, we all know that hard times are ahead and that they are inevitable. We should be concerned about national debt, the state of our public education in some parts of our country, crime and gun control, affordable health care, immigration rights, improving national security, countries in conflict with us, and so forth. In times of great despair, we as Americans should not hesitate to look to our faith for hope and answers. In order for our country to climb out of pit holes of anguish, we must have the courage and perseverance to defend our beliefs in our religion and not succumb to fear of rejection. As Mitt Romney stated “Freedom requires religion just as religion requires freedom.” The need for overall freedom is as essential as the rights and protection of our religious freedoms. Everyone is concerned about their future no matter what. We must either open up to our spirituality together or stay quiet alone. We all have personal issues, and faith can give us the hope and courage to overcome those
The difference between social classes is humongous. According to Nick Fitz’s article “Economic Inequality: It’s worse than you think”, the top 20% of the American households own 84% of the American wealth. Even more stunning, the Walton family alone owns more wealth than 42% of the average American households combined! Furthermore, corporations are faring no better, however. In order to have a more stable economy, the CEO-to-worker-pay-ratio should be 7-1, but truth to be told, it is an excessive amount of 354-1 (Fitz)! One might expect that the United States would be more equal by now, but sadly, this is not true. Comparing the before mentioned ratio to the Civil War, one may notice the difference quite easily. The ratio back at the Civil War was at 20-1, still not at the ideal ratio, but by far better than the current ratio (The
Christianity’s role in America has rapidly changed over the last decades. Although it is still the most popular religion in the country its power over the people has decreased significantly. However, there are still many misconceptions towards American Christianity and in order to understand the unique nature of this religiously diverse country; one must understand its history and its citizens own views on the matter.
Some’s definition of Marriage is when two souls coming into one soul –still distinct but forming one entity. Being raised in the church, marriage is when two people come together, declaring their wedding vows to each other and to God. Marriage is
Civil marriage is the way our society defines one's most intimate, committed relationships; it is the only vehicle our society has for recognizing the existence of primary relationships not defined by blood.
Family is defined “as any relatively stable group of people bound by ties of blood, marriage, adoption; or by any sexually expressive relationship; or who simply live together, and who are committed to and provide each other with economic and emotional support.(Schwartz, 1994) Marriage can be defined as “a union between people (whether widely or legally recognized or not) that unites partners sexually, socially, and economically; that is relatively consistent over time; and that accords each member certain agreed-upon rights. (Schwartz, 1994) Every individual and every society in this world can fall under these two definitions at some point or another in their life. As human beings we have always longed to be apart of something
According to Webster’s dictionary, the definition of Married is “the state of being united to a person of the opposite sex as husband or wife in a consensual and contractual relationship recognized by law. '