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Writer's pictureAndy McIlvain

This is US!: Far right online: The Rise of Extremism


Video from The Economist


"In America, the intelligence services deem far-right extremism a greater domestic threat than Islamist terrorism. The pandemic has exacerbated the spread of white supremacism and neo-Nazism." from video introduction.



Last year at this time many were saying the violence at the capitol was not us, was not America.

I personally have come to the conclusion that YES it is US! - Andy


"According to author Charles Murray, “Our nation is coming apart at the seams ― not ethnic seams, but the seams of class” (273). In his book, Coming Apart: The State of White America, 1960-2010, Murray articulates a distinction between the new upper class and the new lower class through the fictional towns of Belmont and Fishtown, respectively. He uses these two towns to show how people in both classes, more so in Fishtown, are forgetting the founding virtues of industriousness, honesty, religiosity, and marriage. By failing to acknowledge the importance of the founding virtues, as well as failing to incorporate them into contemporary life and society, the people of modern America are experiencing a decline in their moral and civic culture; this decline has impacted what it means to be a citizen in today’s world.

The main cause behind the decline in moral and civic culture is the lack of emphasis on the founding virtues in today’s society. Specifically, the virtues of industriousness and honesty are seemingly not as important in contemporary culture as they were when American government was first established. In his book, Murray states that “industriousness is a resource for living a fulfilling human life…vocation―one’s calling in life―plays a large role in defining the meaning of that life” (172). The work that a person does, the effort they put into that work, and the outcome all provide meaning to their life, which are some of the best features of American culture according to Murray..." from the article: The Decline of Civic and Moral Culture in Modern America (Analytical Essay)



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