I do believe that in some way, the people have lost power in the government. As a democratic government it is our right to speak out and to give our own suggestions. It seems, however, that not only are uninterested in voicing our own opinions but that a part of our society has even become uninterested in even selecting a representative to voice their ideas for them. Paus' states " ... and at a time when some regard dissent as the nemesis, rather than the essence, of democracy"
Paus also hints that we have become very materialistic when she said, " We live in a country where most people know more about the Simpsons than the Constitution." Sadly, this is more true than we would think. Our country is obsessed with fame and money, and has become less interested in our government. For example, the tope three googled people in the world are as listed, 1. Brittany Spears, 2. President Obama and 3. Miley Cyrus. How pop artists such as Brittany Spears and Miley Cyrus are even considered to be on the save level as President Obama is unfathomable.
Finally, Paus says that we need to "redefine, redirect and revitalize our ideas of citizenship, not just at home, but in an interdependent world." As a society we are very patriotic which is a good thing but, we have lost respect and knowledge for other nations. For example, when a United States General was asked if the army was bombing Sunni or Shiites, his answer was I don't know. For those who don't know, Sunni and Shiites are two diverse groups of Muslims and our army does not know which group they are even bombing. How can we bomb someone with out knowing who they really are? This helps support that we need to be educated on an international level and we also need to become more interested in helping other countries.
These are my thoughts based off of what Eva Paus has to say and there is some evidence to support these thoughts but, is this really what our country has become? Do you think that we are too materialistic, that the people have lost their voice in the government and that we have no education or respect for outside countries?
I think that our country has become way too materialistic. Many people in the United States are concerned with how they can succeed and buy the things that they really want, while other people in poorer parts of the United States and also in countries around the world are struggling to get their basic needs. Parents in Haiti have to feed their starving children dried dirt mixed with garbage and other things off the ground while people in the US decide that they are going to spend their money on cars, ipods, cell phones and in some cases mansions with indoor courts and movie theaters. In this way, I do believe that many people (not all) do not have respect or much knowledge on foreign countries. Because if they did, they would not let them struggle the way they are. There would be more circulation of the wealth so as to help other countries develope.
ReplyDeleteI agree. There are many people today that do not appreciate what they have. They focus too much on material items. But that goes to show that if anyone had money to spend they would also focus on material things. We don't all need tvs or computers but we have them don't we? I have to admit that I do go shopping and buy things I dont need, but that doesn't mean that I don't recognize the people in other countries that don't have these things. I feel that we do need to be more educated with recent news, however. Many teenagers don't ever turn the news on to find out what's going on in other countries. We watch mtv and find out who Miley Cyrus's new beau is. And I will admit that I watch all that trash too but I also watch the news in the morning. There needs to be a balance. We're a rich country, people have money, and they will spend it on things they don't need. But respect for others and what they don't have is something some of us lack.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with this. People have absolutely no idea what is going on within our government. This allows them to break some rules because people are too preoccupied to notice anything going on outside their own lives. We need to look outside our own little bubbles, which would help us become more educated on the current events in other nations. Citizens of the U.S. often think they are above impoverished nations, but we're using too many natural resources and there is a lot of ignorance in our world. We need to fix the problems in our country in order to start helping out those that are less fortunate.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with what they are saying about the nation today. People today are more consumed with the media and pop culture than with serious issues that are occurring everyday and are affecting everyone’s lives, not only in the U.S. but around the world. Another point that they discuss is how people have lost their power in the government and I agree with that 100 percent. Young people in America, who essentially are the future of this nation, are more interested in voting for their favorite contestant on American Idol rather than the presidential and state elections. They are taking for granted that they actually have the freedom to vote and make a difference with their future, unlike in other countries where people don’t even have the right to vote. I think that involvement with people and the government has to increase in the near future.
ReplyDeleteIs materialism in America increasing? This question can be answered by simply glancing at today’s buying trends. The quest for the American dream has unfortunately become quite expensive for it has become more of a pursuit for material possessions. Americans have become programmed to want things that had not even been invented a few years ago. The increase in technology has completely changed today’s typical American home!
ReplyDeleteHowever, the most distressing part about materialism is that we as American’s are already rich in resources. As MollyM touched upon Third World Countries do not have proper nutrition, clean water, clothing, health care, and adequate shelter because of their incapability to afford them. We as Americans need to learn to comprehend the difference between wants and needs, and then use our extra money and energy to help better impoverished societies.
I don't think anyone would argue we have lost some of our power in the government. The real question lies in whether or not the power we have lost is for the better or for the worse. For example, FDR instituted the New Deal in stimulating the economy during the Great Depression. Most historians agree that it did, indeed, have a beneficial effect on the economy. Yet it was at the cost of some of our private industries. The policies Roosevelt used could be deemed socialist. We see a similar scenario today with Obama and the Health Care Plan. Again, though, is it always bad when there's more government control? If people frankly don't want to participate in their government, as you say, what difference would it make to them? It may just be a matter of finding a happy medium between conservatives and liberals.
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree with you on our materialism. Ignorance of the politics around us seems to be a by-product of our materialistic pursuits. Just the other night I watched a Jay Leno video where a woman knew "who lives in a pineapple under the sea" but not who lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. We too often find gung ho patriots in America, but rarely the knowledge to back it up. However, our economy is driven by consumerism. Less buying means a weaker economy, as we've seen in this recession. So it's like we're stuck in a cycle. Either we back out of buying all of these luxuries and live with a broken economic system, or we continue to buy and continue to indulge in a desensitized fashion.
I agree. The majority of Americans take advantage of the privilege they all have as citizens of one of the most progressive countries in the world. People all over the world envy us, but not because we have the newest cell phone or the most up to date iPod. They long to be part of our country to have access to simple things that we disregard and feel we deserve because of where we were born. Materialism is far too common in our country and we as a people need to develop an appreciation for the commonalities that have become givens to us. Food, shelter, and a steady income are some of the things that people in third world countries only dream of, yet we are not satisfied with these basics commodities. Americans need to recognize and appreciate these basic resources not found in other countries.
ReplyDeleteI agree very much so with pretty much everything stated. I have never been a huge politics buff, I do not watch much television, and I do not read the newspapers, therefore, I can honestly and unfortunately say that I myself do not know what is going on with our government. I also agree that most people do not care about the government because they feel as though their opinion does not matter anyways. For example, during last years election I was not of voting age but I had friends and acquaintances who were. They either did not vote because they had a "what does my vote matter anyways" attitude or they voted for Obama simply because everyone else was doing it.
ReplyDeleteI also agree that there has been a certain lack of respect for other countries and that most Americans prefer to remain ignorant to the many problems in other countries such as war, poverty, and disease. However, our own country has issues as well. Sometimes I feel as though the issues in our own country are overlooked for the bigger picture. Everyday driving to and from Central Catholic in Lawrence I'd see poverty right outside my car windows. Every Wednesday a ridiculously long line of people stood outside the Lazarus House for day to day essentials. Where I have seen this most however has been during the Lazarus House Thanksgiving Turkey Drive. After going to the apartments these people live in and seeing their living conditions and lack of essential belongings I feel frustrated and upset. Overall I just feel a general lack of concern from the middle and wealthy class to those who are struggling. I believe that although there are plenty other countries that need our help there is far too much to focus on right outside our very own windows.
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ReplyDeleteI don’t think that people’s lost of interest in politics is new. If we come back to the first civilization, in those days not all the people were interested in politics either. If we consider that they were, maybe, just a ten percent and we multiplied this rate by today massive population; we have a result millions of people who don’t care at all. Another portion cares in some way. And finally, the lasting smallest parts are fighting to defend their liberal-conservative ideas or answering blogs concerning politics. It makes me remember the never-ending struggles between federalist and anti-federalists and the writers who wrote pamphlets about those issues.
ReplyDeleteRegarding materialism and foreign problems, many people above used the phrase “we need to be educated”. I strongly believe that a large portion of the country knows what is going on in impoverished ones. The truth is that many people (not all) don’t care. But, why focusing on different countries to face that reality? There are hundred of people living in similar conditions in this state. As Lindsey Kelly said above: “We need to look outside our own bubbles” and do something, or as Emily and Matt stated “We need to keep a balance,” considering that materialism is also positive in a way.
I think it is hard to a make a general statement about Americans, their role in society, and their global awareness. Each American citizen is exposed to different environments of thinking. That being said, I do however believe that American society often has a negative influence on the minds of citizens. Among the three points Paus brought up, I think the common factor linking them all is money. If you think about it, money has control over every aspect of society. Society stresses the importance of money in every way possible.
ReplyDeleteThe average American child is brought up being taught that they go to school so they can learn and get a job, and they get a job in order to make money. I think this creates a very narrow minded approach to life, which in turn supports Paus' idea of our focus on materialism as well as our ignorance to the outside world. In a list posted by the Princeton Review (http://www.postgazette.com/pg/08288/919639-298.stm) of the 10 most popular college majors, business is ranked #1 most popular. I found this to be an intriguing fact that further reveals that American society focuses greatly on profit and money. English and History majors are not found anywhere near the top of the list. I am not by any means trying to convey business majors in a bad light, I just think it shows how money and profit are central to American society and that could be a contributing factor to global ignorance and materlialism. Maybe if there was a greater focus on gaining an understanding of the human race as an entity and our foundations in society, we would not be faced with the things Paus brings up. I agree with the notions of Paus and I think if we expand our thinking beyond money, America would be a very different society.
Materialism has become a major problem in the more affluent parts of the world, especially in America. People don’t measure their life by the quality of it, but rather by how much money and how many things they have. But this isn’t really a problem that can be fixed, once these ideas have been instilled in society, it’s pretty impossible to turn back. And because people have become too preoccupied with their materialistic lives, are ignorant of the world around them. It is astonishing to see the indifference people have to what is going on in their own government and in other countries around the world. I think that people need to wake up and start caring about what is going on around them. If our country was more aware then we would have a much better chance at fixing the problems that we have here at home and in other countries.
ReplyDeleteEducation today has expanded such that it has allowed students to express their thoughts and beliefs about today’s society. I think that though the community is much more materialistic today than it was twenty years ago, students still maintain to voice their opinions and remain informed about world topics. I think that if students want to be involved and make an effort to get involved, they can become informed and educated citizens. People today need to make an effort to let their voices to be heard. I do not think it is fair to say that we have ‘lost our voice’, because I feel that you can only lose your voice if you decide not to get involved and voice your opinion.
ReplyDeleteMany people would argue that the United States is full of materialistic and ignorant people. Even though this is partially true, I do not believe it is entirely true. It is in human nature to want and desire, and living in a nation where everyone has the opportunity to have an education and make decent money at a decent job will give people the opportunity to get what they desire. In other countries that are still developing this is not the case, because they live in a country that does not offer anywhere near what is offered in the US. Even though a lot of people seem clueless as to anything involving politics, there are plenty of people that are very aware of current issues. If you have the money to buy the things you want, you should be able to. In every country you go to, there will be people that are dumb and people that are smart. Even though pop culture is very popular in the US, I don't think it defines us as a country.
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