Analysis of Worldview: Are Evangelicals Christian or American? … Part II

Yesterday I argued that every culture, or subculture, has a worldview, and any group’s worldview is embodied by a metanarrative or myth.  Both worldview and myth function at a pre-cognitive level, relatively out of sight.  These in turn produce a set of basic beliefs, and at this level the group is actively aware of the beliefs as well as the symbols and praxis that sustain the beliefs.  Therefore, examining a group’s use of symbols and praxis should tell you something about the underlying worldview to which they adhere.  So the question is whether Evangelicals, based upon an examination of their use of symbols and praxis, are American, Christian  or an unhealthy combination of the two?

 

Analysis of Worldview: Are Evangelicals Christian or American?

Our views of the world require us to tell stories that help explain the world, and our stories produce beliefs, symbols and praxis by which we live.  In theory, we should be able to reverse the flow of this thinking, examining the symbols and praxis of any group to get an idea about their underlying worldview.  I contend that Evangelicals, by their adherence to certain symbols and praxis, show themselves to be more American than Christian.

 

Understanding Worldviews: Or Why You are More than Just a “Liberal” or a “Conservative”

As a teacher charged with the task of helping students learn how to construct and deconstruct arguments, I often begin the year by asking my students to articulate their own personal worldview.  Why is there something rather than nothing?  How do you know what you know?  What is the meaning of history?  How do you explain the moral nature of humanity?  What has gone wrong with the world?  Can it be set right?  Will it be set right?  What will “right” ultimately look like?

As foundational as these questions may first appear to be, you might be surprised to know how rare it is for a student to be able to answer these questions in any kind of a meaningful way.  Regardless of how bright the student may be, they are often incapable of providing even the most rudimentary of responses, as they simply have not been taught how to consider their own thought-life.  And yet, as you can see from the questions themselves, worldviews are a summation of everything we believe to be true about the nature of the world around us.  And as such, worldviews are very much a part of our daily existence, even if we don’t spend a great deal of time consciously considering their merits. 

 

“Chronicle” (2012): A One-Minute Film Review

Sometimes, for reasons we cannot fully explain, a film succeeds in ways that neither we, nor the studio, honestly expect.  If you want a great example of just this sort of phenomena, look no further that the recently released and poorly named, Chronicle.  Shot on an almost ridiculously low budget by a director whose only previous experience was on cable television, it was released in the dead of winter – a time slot usually reserved for films that will soon be making their debut appearance in the remainder bins of your local Walmart.

But Chronicle smartly rises above its humble budget and its inauspicious release date by offering something unusual: a nuanced psychological profile of a teenager struggling to rise above the ruins of his home life.  Mashing up the “found footage” and super-hero genres, it wisely avoids the rote stereotypes often found in films of this nature, and instead gives us a briskly paced meditation upon humiliation, empowerment, hubris, and naked aggression.

By the time this pleasant little treat reaches its unexpected climax, the viewer is left wondering whether this might just be one of the more honest portraits of teenaged American life in the 21^st century.  While the films are miles apart in tonality, one couldn’t help but think back to Diablo Cody’s Juno, an equally insightful look into the mind of modern adolescence.

If you are a fan of the unusual and/or unexpected, I would strongly recommend seeing this film, in spite of its terrible title and its less-than-inspired marketing campaign.  This is the kind of film that heralds the arrival of a new talent, and I for one will be eagerly waiting in line when the creators of this film release their next work.

 

This film has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for: intense action and violence, thematic material, some language and teenage drinking.

 

Kids Don’t Raise Themselves: The Narcissism Epidemic … (part 4)

As we continue to explore the rise of narcissism in North American society, we have to realize that this growth in self-obsession is not happening in a vacuum.  There are an abundance of factors involved in fostering this national quagmire, perhaps none more significant than the changes that have occurred in our attitudes regarding parenting.

In their latest book, The Narcissism Epidemic, Twenge and Campbell offer some unique insights gleaned from a large, national study that dates all the way back to 1958.  In this study, parents were asked the following question: “If you had to choose, which thing on this list would you pick as the most important for a child to learn to prepare him (or her) for life?”  The options were as follows:

• “To obey”
• “To be well-liked or popular”
• “To think for himself or herself”
• “To work hard”
• “To help others when they need help”

The first thing to note, from of this study, is that parents’ greatest desire for their children has not changed from 1958 to 2004.  Over the past half-century, parents consistently prioritize a child’s ability “to think for themselves.”  This is not terribly surprising, for personal autonomy is one of the supreme values endorsed by the Enlightenment.  And if America is anything at all, it is, at bare minimum, a living, breathing experiment in Enlightenment values.

Somewhat more surprising is the trend related to obedience.  Take a look at the graph below:

Back in 1958, obedience was the second greatest virtue amongst this list of desirable traits to be possessed by one’s child.  But by 2004, obedience has declined by 15% to an all-time low, where it now ranks second to last.

What do you think?  Is it possible to maintain an orderly home where obedience is not valued?  What about a society?  Is it possible for society to function if obedience is no longer a virtue?  And lastly, what can we reasonably expect in a society where narcissism is on the rise, at the same time that obedience, as a taught virtue, is on the decline? 

* * * * * * * * * * *

For previous posts in this series, please feel free to make use of any of the following links.

Greater than Jesus: The Narcissism Epidemic … (part 3)

The Narcissism Epidemic … (part 2)

The Narcissism Epidemic … (part 1)

 

 

Greater than Jesus: The Narcissism Epidemic … (part 3)

According to a recent Public Policy Polling (PPP) survey, 93% of Americans view themselves in a positive light.  Concurrently, only 1% of Americans view themselves negatively.[1]

Dean Debnam, the president of PPP, had this to say: “Americans have a very high opinion of themselves.  You can either argue that we’re a psychologically healthy nation … or you can argue that we’re an arrogant one. Either interpretation fits the numbers.”

Incidentally, 91% of Americans have a positive view of Abraham Lincoln while only 90% have a favorable view of Jesus.  This of course leads to the conclusion:

[1]  http://www.christianpost.com/news/jesus-second-most-popular-person-in-america-poll-finds-63140/

 

No Place for Truth and Reconciliation in “The Hunger Games” Trilogy … (part 4)

SPOILER ALERT:  I’ve been told I need to add a spoiler alert to these sorts of posts.  I’ve never really understood this practice, as I’ve always assumed that if I am reading something, I am going to learn something about the subject at hand.  Nevertheless, if you thought you were going to read this post and learn nothing about The Hunger Games, you have now been warned that this is not likely to be the case.  Tread carefully.

In this, my fourth and final post on The Hunger Games trilogy, I want to visit the concluding chapters of Mockingjay, the last book in Suzanne Collin’s best-selling trilogy.  For it is here that the author does her finest work; and it is here that the fog of war lifts to reveal the true worldview that has always lurked around the murky edges of the novels’ central story.  If you haven’t read any of my previous posts on the subject, I would recommend:

“The Hunger Games” Trilogy … (part 1)

“The Hunger Games” Trilogy … (part 2)

Thanksgiving, Indulgence, and “The Hunger Games” Trilogy … (part 3)

Now, assuming you have read the previous posts in this series, you know that The Hunger Games are a series of highly politicized novels in which the morally bankrupt people of the tyrannical government live out lives of hedonist luxury, lives that are built upon the unrelenting labor of the surrounding population.  In the final novel, Mockingjay, the masses have risen in open rebellion and the forces of the Capital are under constant siege.  Not surprisingly, a new government-in-exile has been formed; and this new government is at the forefront of the rebellion that is rapidly gaining momentum.

But then, late in the novel, when it seems that the rebels are about to win, everything goes horribly wrong.  Primrose, the younger sister of the heroine, and by far, the most innocent of anyone in this trilogy, is killed while performing an act of mercy.  What’s worse, it doesn’t appear that the Capital is behind the act.  Instead, the government-in-exile has committed this atrocity in the hopes of falsely accusing the Capital and providing one last rallying cry for the rebel soldiers.

So here, at the climax of a 1000-page story, the rebels are on the verge of victory, but the newly formed government is no more just than the government that is being overthrown.  And when faced with the opportunity to legally execute the overthrown President of the Capital, Katniss Everdeen, the heroine of the novel, opts instead to launch her arrow into the heart of the new President, thus choosing for assassination in the belief that no government will ever be just.  In the days the follow, Katniss is tried and eventually exiled back to the fire bombed ruins of District 12.  En route, she has this conversation with the new head of communications

The truth is, no one quite knows what to do with me now that the war’s over, although if another one should spring up, Plutarch’s sure they could find a role for me.  Then Plutarch has a good laugh.  It never seems to bother him when no one else appreciates his jokes.

“Are you preparing for another war, Plutarch?” I ask.

“Oh, not now.  Now we’re in that sweet period where everyone agrees that our recent horrors should never be repeated,” he says.  “But collective thinking is usually short-lived.  We’re fickle, stupid beings with poor memories and a great gift for self-destruction.”

If The Hunger Games is to be praised for anything, it is commended for its remarkably consistent worldview.  For whether they are in positions of power or in positions of subjugation, people are viewed as desperately flawed and prone to violence at the slightest provocation.  Interestingly enough, the author, Suzanne Collins, even extends this flaw to her main character, Katniss.  When she is given the opportunity to stand up against the violence that has been perpetrated upon the children of the greater population, Katniss opts to vote for naked vengeance that will be extracted by putting the children of the Capital through the same horrors that have plagued her and her friends.  What is particularly interesting is the fact that Collins does not make any attempt to mask this desire for vengeance.  There are no coy references to justice or “doing the right thing.”  This is all about getting back at the one’s that have hurt you; and your satisfaction is worth the price that others have to pay.

Is there room for mercy is this world?  Is there any room for redemption?   No.  There is not.  The only lasting value that stands in the world of The Hunger Games is the ability to survive amidst a never-ending cycle of violence and retribution.

And so, at the conclusion of this series, I amend my original recommendation.  If these books were to be read solely for the purpose of entertainment, I would advise against it, for there is nothing but loss, anger, and empty grabs for power.  The worldview is so dark that I fear a non-critical mind might absorb some of the “lessons” of fatalistic nihilism.  If, on the other hand, these novels are read with a critical eye, I believe they can be of immense value in terms of discussing the ethics of an increasingly hostile world that is caught in the very cycle portrayed throughout these books.

What do you think reader?  Can you find value in books that offer nothing but a critique of society?  Or must a good writer seek to provide a solution as well?

 

“The Narcissism Epidemic” … (part 1)

Over the next few weeks, I will be sharing various observations gleaned from a wonderful, recent study entitled, The Narcissism Epidemic.  According to dictionary.com, “narcissism” is “an inordinate fascination with oneself.”  From the same source, an “epidemic” is an affliction that affects a “disproportionately large number of individuals within a population.”  So in titling their book as they have, Jean M. Twenge and W. Keith Campbell are suggesting that a disproportionate segment of our society is currently suffering from a distorted sense of self-image that is marked by a pronounced fascination with one’s own being.

Now, to get us going, let me offer you two brief insights gleaned from the first chapter of the book.  Then I want to ask a question.

• From the 1980s to the present, the percentage of Americans possessing Narcissitic personality traits has risen as fast as percentage of society that struggles with obesity.
• In 2006, 1 out of every 4 college students possessed a majority of the traits listed in a standard psychological profile of narcissism.

So here is my question.  Why are we, as Americans, concerned about obesity, but relatively ignorant and/or unconcerned about narcissism?  

The Narcissism Epidemic is currently available through amazon.com for $10.87.