Georg Simmel Ideology: America In Best Times And Worst Times

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Georg Simmel ideology
Introduction
Has life in the US improved in the recent decades, according to the Americas' social health indicators? This is a question David Myers responds to in his article titled "The American Paradox: Spiritual Hunger in an age of plenty." David believes that we live in the best of times and also the worst times citing several reasons. The articles explain how America has embodied paradox whereby people live in the best times and at its worst times.
Summary of Article
Myers reviews how American represents a paradox, with advanced technology, life has become easy. One can make a cup of tea in a microwave oven sit in a comfortable ergonomic office chair within a climate-controlled office. Information is readily accessible via the World Wide Web using personal computers. All these changes are different from a half-century ago, where the there were no broadcast television, computers, jets or cell phones. According to Myers, today, the world is different; people have become more diverse with hate crimes being common.
The environment is under attack with deforestation, ozone depletion, and global warming being common occurrences. According to the author, social safety nets have holes with several divorce cases being witnessed children live in orphanages since parents cannot support them.
The paradox of modern America is that eight in ten adults have a high school education as compared to the twentieth century where there were limited educational opportunities and women had restricted opportunities. Today, six in ten married women are in the paid workforce.
During the twentieth century minority, groups were shunned with disabled, gay and lesbians hiding away from the public. Today, people are well paid, well fed, have decent housing, are much healthier and better educated. Human rights are upheld with faster communication and convenient transportation. The irony of all these is that America has slipped into deep social recession. The author highlights the negative impact that comes with development, including high rates of divorce, teen suicide, violent crimes, increased prison population and increased number of children born out of wedlock caused by cohabitation.
Despite all the negative impact, the positive impact includes an increase in food production, reduction of joblessness with lower prices of various commoditie...