Posted by
CRB on Tuesday, October 07, 2008 11:22:04 AM
We know the value of myth in teaching altruistic values. "I cannot tell a lie," is one of America's most famous. Though some of America's critics denounce these as mere lies, when understood as they should be there is a beneficial reinforcement of a social conscience.
But over time these myths may lose their impact. Time, it seems, removes us from any sense of participation. The statement attributed to a young George Washington has become less important because time has removed us further from those patriotic events that foster this sentiment and conscience.
The myths of the old west, of chivalry and justice, they're all gone. My Dad was born in 1926. He was the youngest in his family and his Dad was born in 1885. The picture that I, and my my age, and my parents as well, have is that the old west was not really that long ago -- just 2 generations. As a result we have a closer affinity to the West and the transition to modern times. (Roy Rogers was filled with jeeps and horses.)
Hollywood, it seems, is having a difficult time maintaining the Western movie genre. In a nation without an old west myth these movies become mere action events and have no real application to life today. There is little remaining altruistic value to reinforce. With a divided love of country and unwillingness to support America in any fight against attackers it seems that there is little that the moviemakers can do. Instead we are treated to criticisms of America that remove any place for myth.
Both conservatives and liberals have failed at this. The benefits of the Civil Rights Movement have given proper myth to a part of our nation. But conservatives, including many evangelicals, spent more time complaining instead of correcting and building a better solution for all. (The Constitution applies equally to all citizens.) And as stated, the lib/left community seems more interested in tearing down and building something new rather than fixing and correcting. We must defend our nation. (We will have no Constitution without some level of security.)
When America faces an immediate danger that is clear and undeniable, not based on either false intelligence or shoddy science, will we unite? Will we have enough sense left, after all this other trash has left us hopeless, to actually unite? I hope so. I pray so.