We’ve lost our shared story

2020 has shown us clearly that Americans are divided, deeply. Not only racially, culturally and economically—but mostly we have a divided sense of who we are as a country and who we want to be going forward.

2020 is a year for the ages. Much like 1968 or the 1860s, it feels like it is seminal in the history of the country. Perhaps historians will point at as a fulcrum of history a profound moment of reckoning. Mostly though 2020 has been revelatory. Revealing the fragility of our democratic institutions, the deep wounds of racial injustice we’ve never truly confronted, the vulnerability of our health care infrastructure, the deep distrust of science and the devastating and corrosive effects of social media on our culture and the truth. All in one year. Alongside the accelerating impacts of the climate crisis which have continued to arrive in even more powerful and unignorable ways.

One important thing that has been revealed by the pandemic and the election season is that Americans are now living in two very distinct realities. One tethered closer to the truth and the other in a a post-truth world populated by conspiracies and fear. And more and more we are starting to live near and interact exclusively with the people who live in the same world we live in. So, in the metro areas all across America people are living in a more pluralistic, globally connected, growing and economically prosperous America. And in exurban and rural America people living in a world of declining economic opportunity, increasing fear of the demographic changes and a growing sense of loss. This is leading folks to be angry, resentful and feel disconnected. And increasingly, it’s a two way street resulting in disrespect and outright an animosity between Americans not seen in a long time.

So in these two Americas, the dominate narrative about who we are as a country and who we want to be is also vastly divergent. Whereas in previous generations we had occasions to rally around the flag or at least could find connection through our founding principles, symbols and heritage. That seems to be slipping away. The big and revolutionary idea that America was founded on—that everyone is created equal and has rights to pursue whatever they are capable of—has been a dominate thread of our shared narrative for generations. We’ve called it to the American Dream. But many feel that is less and less possible today.

America as a beacon of freedom and democracy for the rest of the world also animated our cultural connection for decades. “Bring me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free”…not so much anymore. Especially, after four years of isolationism and anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies. And with the undermining of our democratic institutions and the peaceful transfer of power, we no longer are a model for the world. Overall, we’ve lost much of what has connected us as Americans and brought hope to the world. The best of our ideals and ambition and our shared sense of purpose. We have lost our shared story.

So, what can we do. It is a much deeper issue than reaching across the aisle or patching up the relationships severed by our divisive politics. Those are good steps, but we need a much deeper and profound reset. A cultural intervention. A wake-up call of national proportions. We owe it to our kids and the generations to come. Are we going to be the ones that let our house divided fall? Will 2020 be the beginning of the end? Or can we face down our biggest challenges and deal with the truth?

Climate change is real and is an existential threat. America should lead the way in solving it. Our racial history undermines our progress. It is high time we had a truth and reconciliation process that helps us all face our shared truth on race. Our inequality is out of hand. We need policies that provide more people the opportunity to share in prosperity of the digital age and reimagine taxes and wages to be fairer. Our public support systems and infrastructure are inadequate. We need to invest in our future by prioritizing those that need the most help—tackle mental illness, eradicate homelessness and support the poor and elderly so they don’t fall through the cracks.

Finally, we need to reboot our civics as a forum for healthy debate in service of progress rather than a place of combat where the well connected and powerful tighten their grip on what they have. We need democracy reform to protect our institutions and elections so people can trust that our government and politics have the capacity to move our country forward.

We can do all of this. But we need to set aside the toxic culture and division of the last four years and actively root out and expose the sources and people undermining the truth, fomenting division and spreading fear.

We need to rebuild a shared story reimagining and revealing what we know we can be—A moral, generous, innovative, compassionate and good nation—ready to lead the world.

Maybe 2021 can be the beginning of this new shared story. It’s up to all of us.