In a slight twist on other 250th-anniversary polls about declining faith in the American dream, a Wall Street Journal/ NORC survey shows dropping confidence in both capitalism and democracy — with, once again, support steadily dropping, generation after generation.
We credit the decades-long progressive project of smearing the most free and successful nation ever, with perhaps a touch of social-media-fostered delusions about how tough life is for twentysomethings today.
Yet, as it happens, social media right now can point you to the truth — all those World Cup visitors amazed at experiencing the real America, with even Brits admitting they were wrong.
Americans’ pessimism, in short, is significantly a result of limited information.
E.g., European and American media prefer to obscure some pretty important facts, such as how Europe’s GDP grew just 13.5% from 2008 to 2023 while US GDP nearly doubled — and America continues to outgrow the competition.
Happily, other surveys suggest pride in our country remains strong . . . yet the generational trends are consistent across all of them.
Cross your fingers that time and first-hand experience can correct younger Americans’ gloom; the testimony of new Americans — refugees from nightmares like socialist Venezuela — may help, too.
One bit from the Journal poll is cause for some added concern: More recent generations also show a growing belief that “the mixing of cultures and values from around the world” is important to “the United States’ identity as a nation.”
Cultures, sure: Just think about what a lasting boon Little Italy is to New York City.
But “values,” absolutely not.
That is: People come to America because of what this nation stands for, and the miracles our system works; you truly become an American by embracing those values, not by imposing whatever ideas dominated in the homeland.
The Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and other core expressions of our Founders’ beliefs must always define our identity: This is how we can be a nation of immigrants.
Our current political divide centers on temptations to reject those beliefs, whether for some supposedly superior set of values, a naïve relativism or nattering nativism.
This, above all, should be the takeaway of America’s 250th celebrations; it’s how the United States can win 250 more years.
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