By Dr. Denise R. Ames
I remember reading Charles Dickens’ historical novel, A Tale of Two Cities, in my high school English class many years ago. 
This memorable quote opens the book: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair…”
At the time, I wondered how all of these different emotions could be expressed at the same time. Now I realize that we are expressing many different emotions all simultaneously—anger, fear, hope, despair, concern, love, and hate. These emotions are not necessarily rational responses to events but bubble up from our deep core of being to burst forth.
Our country was built on a myth: “Work hard, play by the rules and you can achieve the American Dream,” I bought into this myth. I worked hard very hard. As baby boomers, my husband and I built and sold six houses in our early years of marriage, along with our other jobs. It was physically demanding work but we were able to accrue a nice nest egg from our endeavors.
I taught my Gen-X children the same values. They had challenging jobs as teenagers like cleaning the lard barrel at Hardees, “walking beans” to get weeds out on hot summer days, babysitting for long stretches, and cleaning houses.
“walking beans”
My children grew up expecting they would achieve the same lifestyle level as I had, but from their experiences they knew it would take dedicated effort and a college education. They learned to be resilient adults. They were able to overcome setback, adversity, and figuring things out on their own. The lessons have stuck with them.
But from my readings and observations, I am learning that Millennials and Gen Z have different expectations about the future. As I see it, they are expecting a similar lifestyle but somehow missing the connection between working hard and achieving rewards. Because of the implications of the American Dream, the current generation assumes that they can have a similar lifestyle as their parents. But the question is how to acquire these expectations without the often boring and repetitive hard work. They have figured out a way.
Along comes the political philosophy of democratic socialism. The politicians promise 
that the government can provide many of the life’s comforts with little effort from recipients. Free college education, reimbursement of student loan debt, free health care, well-paying and secure jobs, subsidized day care, and a host of other goodies. I remember toiling for a long, hot summer at a potato chip factory to earn enough to pay my tuition and expenses for a year of college. With a little help from my parents, and low-cost tuition, I saved enough money to pay the costs, with lots of grueling over-time and Saturday work. I had some “skin” in the game, I wasn’t going to blow it.
I will continue to blog about the cultural divide in our country in March. My forthcoming 
book—Divided: Five Colliding Worldviews and How to Navigate Them—describes the cultural divide primarily in the U.S. through the lens of five worldviews—indigenous, traditional, progressive, globalized, and transformative. Ideas from the blogs are explained in the book as well.
About the Author
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences—scholarly research, teaching, reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, professional development trainings, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness, developing globally-focused books and educational resources. She has written seven books, blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, and teaching units for the non-profit and clients.
Dr. Ames is now developing a program called Turn—transformative understanding and 
reflection network—that encourages life-long learners to see things with new eyes, shift perspectives, and understand the balance in all things. She teaches classes and writes about cross-cultural awareness, indigenous wisdom, a transformative worldview, learning from the past, a mythic journey, and transforming travel.
Before shouting, ranting, protesting, or calling out others, educate yourself about the issue or issues you are for or against. Internet access is widely available and has a wealth of information that you can access. You don’t have to be an expert but at least know enough to be able to speak coherently, or if you don’t know much about the topic, realize your ignorance and ask lots of questions. The questions don’t even have to be very good, just ask questions, one has to start somewhere.
is surely part of the story, I abhor single cause explanations to complex problems, there has to be more to it than racism alone. My quest for answers has taken me in unexpected directions.
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences— teaching, scholarly research, personal reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness that develops globally-focused books and educational resources for grade 9-university. She has written eight books, plus numerous blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, teaching units, and conducted professional development workshops for the non-profit and its clients.
This is a momentous time that we are experiencing: events happen rapidly, opinions morph daily, actions occur impulsively, mobs act randomly, and politicians squabble bitterly. Everything seems to be spiraling out of control. The vast majority of people seem to be perplexed and frozen into inaction, while those with the energy and righteousness of their convictions take control to wield anarchy and chaos in their wake. Who can be trusted for wise council?
But I would like to say, wait a moment. We still have a democracy that values input from many voices who have a right to be heard. Many of us have listened as the youth have demanded that we consider those who have been marginalized in American society through the years and are now asking to be heard. But listening is a two-way street, also time for elder voices to be considered. Young people have blamed elders for every negative thing that has happened in the last 70 years, but we have not been thanked for positive things that have happened.
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences— teaching, scholarly research, personal reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, professional development, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness that develops globally-focused books and educational resources for grade 9-university. She has written eight books, plus numerous blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, and teaching units for the non-profit and its clients.
I have read some of the proposals made by the Black Lives Matter movement and others “demanding” change, and I have found that many of them are implementing a “top down” approach. Some city leaders, for example, are “defunding” parts of the police departments without getting community feedback or putting these measures to a vote. The democratic process is messy, with all sides having a voice in measures so important as defunding the police. The democratic principles, the basis of our country, are being abandoned in the name of “righting the wrongs of the past.”
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences—scholarly research, teaching, reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, professional development trainings, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness, developing globally-focused books and educational resources. She has written seven books, blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, and teaching units for the non-profit and clients.
It irks me to no end when protesters and other social activists use the word demand as they put forth proposals for change. Demand sounds like something a child would shout when not getting his or her own way. Demand also implies that the other side has to do the work, all the demander has to do is sit back and judge if the demandee’s actions meet the proper criteria they set forth. Demand also implies an adversarial relationship, not a cooperative one. If the protesters demand an end to police brutality, what are they going to do to try and end it as well. Now I know why demands are made so often by social activists, it lifts the responsibility from the demander and shifts it to the demandee.
I hear the term white privilege constantly tossed about. However, I do not agree with the concept and I am offering a different perspective of the term. The term is supposed to convey the idea that whites have gained their status at the top of the American social and economic ladder because of their skin color. Since whites founded the country, this privilege has trickled down through the generations. There is truth to this line of reasoning, but it is more complex than this simplistic explanation.
inherit all this privilege without any effort, it just magically falls into their laps. I think a better term is Adopted Behaviors. This means that privilege or reward come to those who adopt certain behaviors. Unlike the term white privilege, which renders non-whites as victims who have no way to escape their oppressive status, adopted behaviors implies that to achieve privilege or rewards, the individual has the opportunity to consciously adopt these behaviors.
family, schools, community, religious institutions, and society at large. These behaviors give a person a leg-up in finishing their education, getting a job, having a functional family, and developing into a person who gives back to others.
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences—scholarly research, teaching, reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, professional development trainings, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness, developing globally-focused books and educational resources. She has written seven books, blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, and teaching units for the non-profit and clients.
mentioned the mayhem in the streets, loss of life, and destruction of property, much of it disproportionately affecting the people hardest hit by the pandemic and rioting. Some of the conservative media conflates the two in one broad sweep. Either way you look at it, the looters played a huge and destructive role in events and their destructive role called out.
As far as I know, many of the looters were black (not all), who happen to be the very group that protesters want to “protect.” Many conflated all blacks into those who need their paternalistic protection, looters included. This seems counterintuitive. The looters are a criminal element in American society that are largely the target of police activity, they are certainly different from blacks who want safety and security in their neighborhoods. When devising “social services,” recognizing that African Americans are a diverse mixture of different groups with different values, incomes, and aspirational goals is a high priority.
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences—scholarly research, teaching, reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, professional development trainings, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness, developing globally-focused books and educational resources. She has written seven books, blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, and teaching units for the non-profit and clients.
Much of the liberal media separated the protesters from the looters with a sharp dividing line. In fact, in the early days of the event, for example, PBS News Hour barely mentioned the mayhem in the streets and destruction of property, much of it disproportionately affecting the people hardest hit by the pandemic and rioting. Some of the conservative media conflates the two in one broad sweep. Either way you look at it, the looters/rioters played a huge and destructive role in events and their destructive role should be called out.
streets. I read the account of one reporter who joined the protests and noted the two groups. He pointed out that when an opportune time came, the looters broke from the larger group to carry out their unlawful acts. As noted in point #3, these two groups are quite different and I if the trends continue, reforms and policies that are advanced will disproportionately help those who need it least, and will not address the real needs of the black underclass.
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences—scholarly research, teaching, reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, professional development trainings, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness, developing globally-focused books and educational resources. She has written seven books, blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, and teaching units for the non-profit and clients.
I have come to the conclusion that a new political/cultural faction has seized this moment to bring their cause into a larger arena: “
Many young people passionately want to oust liberalism for many reasons, chiefly because they believe it is an exploitative system of oppression defined by racism and capitalism. The platform of the successor ideology is rather vague and shifts according to events: rabid feminism, trans rights, anti-capitalism/pro-socialism, environmental catastrophe, and probably the most fervent of all is anti-racism.
virtuous. Leadership is rather fluid, with some elected progressive officials taking a leadership role only to be booed off stage by those advocating more radical measures. The mayor of Minneapolis, for example, walked off-stage to humiliating boos of the assembled protesters when he wouldn’t go along with their demands to defund the police.
data-based studies or protypes to ensure success. Even corporate America, always wanting to connect with potential customers, is calling for more diversity training and examining their white privilege. All the while, channeling millions of dollars to Black Lives Matter and like-minded organizations, perhaps to assure that they are not targeted by the wrath of protestors.
easy to tear down what has taken centuries to build at great sacrifice. Rapid and forced change does not last, it only stokes resentment. Hopefully, our exhausted and liberal leaders (often elderly) can find their voice, among all the shouting and shaming, to proclaim that our real treasure is our democratic institutions that can be changed but not torn down. 
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences—scholarly research, teaching, reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, professional development trainings, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness, developing globally-focused books and educational resources. She has written seven books, blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, and teaching units for the non-profit and clients.
The death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer has sent shock waves throughout the United States, and even the world. When this earth-shattering event is superimposed upon a deadly coronavirus pandemic still at large, it has seized the attention of an American public. The protests, along with the accompanying acts of violence and looting, have often outraged and befuddled us at the same time. One friend commented, “I can’t make sense of any of this.”
Also, I have found that there are some topics or questions that are not being sufficiently addressed. It is a good time to start to deeply reflect upon what the events mean to us as Americans, and internalize these thoughts and reflections to start the process of rebuilding something different. In a larger sense, the fate of our country depends on our responses.
I also found that each perspective is undergirded by what I call bound assumptions. These assumptions are axioms, a statement or proposition which is regarded as being established, accepted, or self-evidently true. The statement that is taken to be true serves as a premise or starting point for further reasoning and arguments. So there are times when each side builds their entire argument on a bogus foundation.
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences—scholarly research, teaching, reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, professional development trainings, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness, developing globally-focused books and educational resources. She has written seven books, blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, and teaching units for the non-profit and clients.
Durkheim claims that sacredness is about society and its collective concerns. If he is right then Democrats must find a way to incorporate the sacred into their messages that goes beyond the use of words like “God” and “faith.” It is hard to portray a Whole Foods store as sacred, but featuring nature as sacred is an obvious and worthy choice. Democrats could close the sacredness gap if they get beyond the idea of society as Weird.
Republicans say that Democrats “just don’t get it,” this is the “it” to which they refer.
Bringing in the three moral foundations advanced by Durkheim—loyalty, authority, and sanctity—means that the traditionalists have an expanded moral range. Progressives need to be aware of these advantages when advancing policies and trying to win elections. In fact, it might be worthwhile for progressives to expand their moral range without betraying their principles. They might be able to improve their policies by incorporating and praising some traditionalists’ insights.
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences—scholarly research, teaching, reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, professional development trainings, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness, developing globally-focused books and educational resources. She has written seven books, blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, and teaching units for the non-profit and clients.
Traditionalists and progressives have different personality traits, partially inherited and also socially and culturally influenced. Conservatives tend to be cognitively fixed, favor hierarchy, and are wary of uncertainty, change, and differences. When people vote for conservative candidates they do so because the candidates often offer “moral clarity”—a simple vision of good and evil that helps alleviate the voter’s deep seated fears and distrusts.
Progressive ways of thinking—reason, logic, analysis, and objectivity—are encouraged by our educational system and are valued as superior to emotional ways of thinking. Educational tests score students’ analytical abilities in which those with the highest scores are awarded prestigious college slots and academic recognition. Thus, progressives often think their logical, analytical ways of thinking and being are at the top of the moral order and dismiss those who are different. This ranking of ways of thinking is discriminatory but it is so well entrenched in society that it prevails unchallenged. It also gives progressives an elitist air that traditionalists disdain.
Progressives often explain away conservative successes as aberrant and convince themselves that they hold the moral high ground. Since they have self-determined who is among the educational elite, progressives have decided that there is nothing to learn from other worldviews. This blinds progressives to the fact that, as Haidt explains, “one of the main reasons that so many Americans voted Republican over the last 30 years: they honestly prefer the Republican vision of a moral order to the one offered by Democrats. To see what Democrats have been missing, it helps to take off the halo.”
Dr. Ames’ varied life experiences—scholarly research, teaching, reflections, and extensive travels—have contributed to her balanced and thoughtful perspectives. Earning a doctorate in world history education, she has taught secondary schools, universities, a community college, professional development trainings, and lifelong learners. In 2003, Dr. Ames founded the educational non-profit, Center for Global Awareness, developing globally-focused books and educational resources. She has written seven books, blogs, lesson plans, articles, newsletters, and teaching units for the non-profit and clients.
hem has just been released!
