Quote:
Originally Posted by willx
That said, what it does manage to bring out, is this: A very large part of the population, rightly or wrongly, feels disenfranchised and is living in a country they feel do not reflect their views and desires. They also don't get why. They see themselves as "normal" "god-fearing" "good-natured" "hardworking" folk .. so why is everyone else crazy? They just don't and can't get it. They can't make the logical leap and they've been "left behind" .. it's quite sad really. Some people start tearing up or outright crying without being able to properly explain why they feel so lost and alone, adrift in a country they live in, but they don't feel is really still their own.
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Interesting observation. It makes sense, too. The United States has always been a diverse nation, and that diversity has arguably increased at a faster pace in recent years with globalization.
The diversity isn't just in people and cultures, but in lifestyles. Big cities, suburbs, and rural life: it's no coincidence that many major urban centers hold views opposite those of people living out among few other people. The issue of gun control is the most obvious example of showing where differences arise. People living in rural areas have legitimate concerns about threats from other people (or animals), and they're isolated enough that police and other assistance can't reach them in time. By comparison, people in major cities are in very close proximity to others who could lend a hand, and firearms seem like an unnecessary hazard that is bound to hit someone even unintentionally due to the higher population density.
Conflicts between these views have probably always existed, but our increased connectivity increases the friction. People used to be blissfully ignorant of the views expressed by people farther away, but now there's constant exposure to views held all around the country. People can easily travel around the country, further mixing these ideas and values around. For better or for worse, the federal government has been playing the power role over our states, meaning that we're getting one-size-fits-all laws that apply to all regions, instead of worrying more about laws tailored to the locality.
Our increased connectivity is fairly new, and some areas of the country are still coming online. While differences owing to location will always exist, my guess is that the increased connectivity will help to further unify and synchronize the nation's views.