The American cultural model almost got it right.
But the margin of error is also large enough to invite ridicule from the rest of the world. Also, to encourage overtaking!
Q: But what is Americas model or culture’?
A: Well, I will limit my scope to what I know.
PART A
America is ‘the land of the free‘.
It begins with those free in the new world, and those that established the laws of the new world.
It continues into those that found industries and where the country is today.
However, We know that America was not trendsetting in a silo, nor are they today. Nor is the nature of their land the same as for others!
And today, those differences are at a welcomed high!
But as the frontrunners of industry, credit must be given to the forebears of that country. What they contributed towards was great and brave, but it had loopholes!
Of course, it had loopholes. If America had been an all-knowing nation, there wouldn’t have been a need for diplomatic cooperation and their gross imperialism.
But, then again, you could argue that imperialism is what it’s all about; Fair enough!
But that is only a part of the ‘culture’!
The illusion of America’s greatness is its large organizations that went from paying taxes diligently to using citizens as objects. Or maybe there has never been any greatness, just noise?
America is a breaking culture. A culture which didn’t quite get it right. But also a culture radical enough to affect large portions of the stagnant world!
Here is the illusion; America is trapped in a grossly exaggerated sense of ‘self‘, and they will get it all wrong.
Materialism, industry and acquiring are good, but they’re not the end-all-or-be-all.
There are several identities that we can assign to the world and to ourselves.
For instance, Americans can mobilize behind a certain identity, and individuals can do the same for themselves, ad infinituum.
That is not my bone of contention.
I contend that the ‘self’ is not life’s whole and absolute truth.
It is a narrative borne from the mind.
The self as ‘John’ the ‘American’ is not worth the internal sabotage or crucifixion.
The very one that America has allowed to run amock by killing a culture that was once a hope for many.
Whether that culture really did take off is a matter of debate. But the reality is that today it is nowhere near anything.
PART B
Americans are consuming, distracted, also highly agitated and displeased.
Here are a few examples: Young people are incredibly impressionable and controllable. The naivete and body image have hit an all-time high, and the depression, attention span, inability to detox, anxiety and overall dissatisfaction with life are also at an all-time high!
But here’s a thing, the money is there! So what on earth must supersede that?
Angazi! I don’t know, but I can make an educated guess!
Here is an essential truth about ourselves and the larger part of life, the part vastly more extensive than attaining materialism and dopamine at any chance.
It is a part of detachment and rooting ourselves in silence and presence.
A silent mind, a silent heart, and a quiet energy field.
In this context, silence influences good health and enhances inspiration, creativity and joy. It is boundless; it is the root.
It is infinitesimally larger than any joy materialism can bring. It is unstructured.
But that is not enough as well!
So what is?
Both are partially suitable; it is more the space between them. It is about the versatility of being in between them.
It is knowing both corners but gravitating more towards rootedness in stillness.
Life is a moving force, understandably so, but if we can learn to ride it without being too attached, then we can enjoy it more.
And knowing when to climb off is critical as well.
But if not, then stay rooted in the understanding that life is a moving force; and ignorance is human nature, therefore should not be fought but married peacefully into our lives.
But always with a mind of betterment.
We can better ourselves but be detached simultaneously because we are versatile godlike souls.
What you can promote, you can relegate. American children aren’t aware they can do this, and it can be a fun challenge for them. So too, for adults!
The so-called East has traditions and cultures that promote this. But also in rural Africa and South America. Anywhere where the ‘Western philosophy’ has not fully engulfed human imagination.
And it can work for anyone. And detachment to the point of being able to separate yourself from all the noise is necessary.
Assume you are caught by the web of Times Square. Will you go on a shopping spree and purchase whatever is advertised on those screens?
Or would you rather go for coffee and buy one or two itineraries afterwards?
Wouldn’t you rather stay open to the possibility that you can attain or purchase what’s advertised but that it’s not a priority, nor will it ever be?
America could well be a world without a great foundation for its masses.
Will the bulk of the global 500 companies come from there and China? Sure!
But the masses tell a different story. I call them the groundsmen or groundspeople.
PART C
But, you see, worldly dynamics change. Those who rule today will not be tomorrow. Egypt fell, Rome fell, Mesopotamia fell, you get the picture. The great kingdoms of Africa(pre-Egypt) also fell!
Strong traits are emulated, and the weak are ignored. And right now, America is showing weaknesses in the face of its perceived enemies. Illusory or self-inflicted enemies.
But enemies necessary for competition and dominance.
Personally, I do not see culture there as something to be prideful of.
It is shapeless, one of a few worlds where even biology is questioned. The land of the free indeed.
But later on, it will be wounds that just won’t heal, despite a torrent of money and medical capabilities.
But which cultures got it right, in my sense?
For me, they are colourful and flavourful cultures that celebrate an identity to something that is both biological and land-based.
They are tightly knit as a community and are moderately competitive. They can attach and dislodge themselves from the computer.
They are not subjects of information overload, and quick and easy this and that, over-indulgence, get that gratification now, and it’s all in your right!
Meanwhile, some conniving mean-spirited individuals are feeding them all of this.
And when they find themselves unable to dislodge, then they take their own lives.
They have a vast country but do not even know the sunshine in the countryside. They are distuned from what the organic world offers, which is a shame.
This should not be misconstrued to mean that all Americans sail this boat; rather, just the loudest amongst them.
THE ENDING
The world is strange; the more you run away from something, the more you run into something else. So rather stop running at once.
There is hope for individuals, not so much for organizations; their nature is different.
Bye!
