To what extent is our nation one that is unsettled in its sense of Essay

To what extent is our nation one that is unsettled in its sense of history and culture Is that something to fear, or is this no - Essay Example The typical American is an individualist. Because of this, it would be difficult to come to a precise definition of Americans as a people, aside from the fact that they live in the same country under the same government. In this regard, it is clear that America is still unsettled in its sense of history and culture, two things that are supposed to unite a people and provide them with a common identity. However, this is not something to be feared or loathed. In fact, this is what makes America grow continuously and, with such evolution; this is also what makes Americans achieve progress that will distinguish them from other peoples. Lewis Lapham’s Who and What is American is an article that points out the various theories raised regarding the American character. Lapham manages to accurately identify the misconceptions according to the subjective views of those who wish to come up with a definition of the American character but he does not go to the extent of actually pointing o ut his own alternative concept. Jack Hitt’s Dinosaur Dreams, on the other hand, may discuss about the America’s fascination about the extinct gigantic reptile but it points out the tendency of the American individual to adapt to the situations that surround him in order to seize opportunities that will work to his advantage. Wedded to an Illusion by Fenton Johnson explains, however, that although the nation’s culture can indeed change, the process can be long and tedious considering that there are also powerful forces that will arise as obstacles to such transformation. Despite the fact that the United States has been a country for about four centuries already, it is very obvious that it still does not really have culture that is really commonly practiced by its people and one that it truly American. Nevertheless, certain influential sectors who wish to address the people tend to emphasize on general traits in order to connect with the majority. In so doing thou gh, they also create the misimpression that Americans have really settled with a common cultural characteristic. Lapham explains that Americans â€Å"were always about becoming not, being; about the prospects for the future, not about the inheritance of the past.† (Who and What is American) Through this statement, Lapham puts emphasis on the notion that it is not correct to conclude that the American people can already boast of having a culture that transcends races, genders, ethnicity, classes, or religions. This is because there is even no common history to speak of. American society is becoming more and more multiracial. Even those who may consider themselves genuinely Americans could not come to agree in their interpretation of history due to the fact that they are influenced by prejudice based on their own political, ethnic, class, or religious background. Because Americans are about becoming, to state that they already have a common culture and understanding of history now is a fallacy. Hitt, on the other hand, raises a point that may be considered as supportive to Lapham’s premise. Hitt writes that through the fascination with dinosaurs as seen in the popular culture, â€Å"we sculpt their meaning; like outsized Schrodinger's cats, their existence depends on whether or not we have decided to look at them.†