Current Presidential
election campaign has exposed several fault lines of American society. Economic
stagnation has veritably changed the mass-psychology, way of rationalization,
level of tolerance and religiosity. Economic slumber of decades; engendered an
undercurrent in the societal conduct; in the form of a vitriolic white man’s
rebellion against immigrants and religions; which in its aftermath, must have
landed sociologist, behaviorist and anthropologist alike on a unique learning
curve.
Despite a recent uptick in economic activity; due to sustained steering coupled
with huge capital injections, has not resulted in the alleviation of the average
Joe. Although jobs are being generated and added to the workforce but mostly of
part-time and temporary nature; which due to the global-parity-compulsions offer
lower pay with least or no benefits. The result is that families are faced with
a permanent state of uncertainty and fear. Due to shrinking or stagnant income
in the face of rising costs; everyone has to pitch in to maintain their abode
intact; which in turn has destroyed the fundamental structure of a family; more
so of a white family, who used to be a conspicuous representation of a thriving,
prosperous, well-knit American society. Father, who used to hold an esteemed
status in familial-hierarchy, has either gone missing or become irrelevant. His
role has been relegated to one of the breadwinners of a group. He now has to
compete with younger people, of different tastes, odd work schedules, with a
different set of issues, and somewhat better informed; pretending to be a
family-head in control. In extreme cases, he has to even swap the role with his
spouse. There is hardly an occasion for dinner table exchange of banalities.
This has destroyed the inner core of the society transforming it into a bitter
and intolerant one.
On the outer spectrum as well there is a huge shift due to the variegated flow
of immigrants. They come with their own ingrained set of values; which are often
at odd with American values; more so with inconceivably perverted values, which
misleadingly are being boasted about and chaperoned as freedom of choice and
expression.
In nut-shell white man is under a constant onslaught from every direction.
First, he ceded to irreligiosity in the cloak of utilitarianism, then to the
Abolition of slavery, then to the justification-of-equity in the shape of
affirmative action, then to Mexicans and Latino workers. The recent spate of
variegated immigrants, however, is the harshest, since it is at a (financially)
hard time. There are not many jobs, not enough income, fractured family
structure, degradation of moral values and society, as a whole, up in arms. It
has pushed a sizeable segment of society in belligerent mode. A recent survey
showing 24% increase in suicide rate (especially women) is an alarming
vindication of societal frustration. They are vehemently against the influx of
immigrant (mostly Muslim immigrants/refugees—given the sustained, premeditated
demonization of Islam and Muslims). An unscrupulous, demagogue, presidential
hopeful, Donald Trump, seized on these sentiments and started targeting Muslim
and Mexican to win the election.
These immigrants come with their own set of values, work hard, get a good
education and often land good jobs or establish successful businesses. They
often stay and operate within their own groups except when they have to
otherwise. They adopt American values but strictly based on necessity or
compulsion. (Second generation, however, acts and behaves on more American less
immigrant level). In fact, they traverse in parallel value-systems with ease;
one from back home and the other need-based American. Their work ethics, moral
standards, religious ethos and ratiocination; which are time-tested, put the
white man under immense pressure despite their minimal proportion. White man
seems to have been pushed to the wall for enumerated reasons. Ironically they
feel under threat of being wiped out, as a majority, within their own country,
which is ironically claimed and owned by all equally! They, as early settlers of
several generations ago, think have an emphatically exclusive, claim and rights
to America, unlike a newly sworn citizen. (Needless to say, it is the most
cherished part of being an American for which some pay very heavy price).
This hurt is more pronounced in the middle-class and most in the lower middle
class; who, more often, lay down an exclusive claim of being true American.
These folks are so frustrated that they are ready to take on anything and
everything. They think it is the matter of their survival. I am all sympathetic
to their “Nationalistic” plight, but now this is other’s adopted/chosen home
too; who after few generations would be standing with them, in the same shoes!
The jingoistic course of action, chosen by them, therefore, is misleading and
futile. They should rather, gain awareness, Learn, how to re-invent themselves,
retrain, get educated, stay away from drugs, alcohol, pre-marital
sex/pregnancies, hate, anger and frustration. Stop hating religions and God;
because it simply deprives one of the privilege and faculty of contemplation,
entailing humbleness and sense of gratitude. A recent jump in suicide rate could
very well be related to this deprivation. Start having normal families and
achievable goals. It won’t be long that you will become relevant and important
as anyone else Stasis is unsustainable. Harboring negative feelings is an
anecdote of self-immolation. Trump phenomenon, as people call it, is not really
a solution to the ills of an American man. It is but an opportunistic cashing of
the situation by a tabloid-famed, self-indulgent, demagogue. In the end, he
probably would be flying high but you sure would be the in worst of a situation.
The truth is that none of the politicians is interested in your or my welfare
but his/her own. It is time for sagacity and wisdom to prevail. The choice is
yours!