I don't know you. I don't live near you. I don't trust you. I don't like you. Leave me alone. And so goes. See the piece linked here. We will have a new social contract--good or bad.
In one of my sociology classes, we've been talking a great deal about gentrification lately. The concept of 'revanchist' (revenge based) gentrification rears its head most often in times of political and social instability. The example we're examining in class is how-- after the financial maladies of the late 80's, gentrification exploded in the US. People pointed fingers at each other,and groups became increasingly polarized to reflect a 'every man for themselves' mentality. As our nation currently stands we've seen increasingly instability in terms of employment, the economy, and financial markets. This coupled with rapidly changing racial demographics in America means that our people are largely fighting to claim their own space amid the chaos. Much like how gentrification functions, there is no more liberal open mindedness. Much less general acceptance of differing opinions. Desperate times for so many groups has caused more deliberate, exclusionary, and one-sided ideologies.
It is very unfortunate that we have gotten to the point in this country where anyone of the opposite political party is viewed as an ill-informed enemy, at least for many people. The idea of compromise or the ability to "step in the other sides shoes" seems to have disappeared, much attributed to what the author of the article states: geography, the people you surround yourself with, and what you expose yourself to in the media. It is already hard enough to find common ground in congress, and I can't imagine this situation is going to get any better any time soon. I don't really have a legitimate suggestion for fixing this mentality, but I do know that we need to find a way to become closer as a nation and stop becoming more and more separated.
In one of my sociology classes, we've been talking a great deal about gentrification lately. The concept of 'revanchist' (revenge based) gentrification rears its head most often in times of political and social instability. The example we're examining in class is how-- after the financial maladies of the late 80's, gentrification exploded in the US. People pointed fingers at each other,and groups became increasingly polarized to reflect a 'every man for themselves' mentality.
ReplyDeleteAs our nation currently stands we've seen increasingly instability in terms of employment, the economy, and financial markets. This coupled with rapidly changing racial demographics in America means that our people are largely fighting to claim their own space amid the chaos. Much like how gentrification functions, there is no more liberal open mindedness. Much less general acceptance of differing opinions. Desperate times for so many groups has caused more deliberate, exclusionary, and one-sided ideologies.
It is very unfortunate that we have gotten to the point in this country where anyone of the opposite political party is viewed as an ill-informed enemy, at least for many people. The idea of compromise or the ability to "step in the other sides shoes" seems to have disappeared, much attributed to what the author of the article states: geography, the people you surround yourself with, and what you expose yourself to in the media. It is already hard enough to find common ground in congress, and I can't imagine this situation is going to get any better any time soon. I don't really have a legitimate suggestion for fixing this mentality, but I do know that we need to find a way to become closer as a nation and stop becoming more and more separated.
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