The Parallel Worlds of America

In case you haven’t noticed, there are at least two parallel worlds here, in America. Each exists in their own reality, with its own people, problems, aspirations and expectations. They share the same physical space most of the time and occasionally cross into each other’s territory. Both are concerned with raising kids, meeting payments on time and health issues in today’s turbulent world. They look at surrounding reality through two separate sets of glasses. These worlds mostly exist in people’s minds.

A good number people of the first world think of themselves as the cultured elite; the thinkers; sophisticated, highly educated; the trendsetters for everyone else. Their liberal views are what might be defining America as the place of freedoms, of societal initiatives, of defending the weak and oppressed, of protesting the injustices as they see them. The freedom of religion was somewhat important here, but not as important as the freedom of speech. Of fighting the big government every step of the way on just about anything the government did. Here they tolerated, but generally abhorred the firearms and always wanted a society where arms would be regulated and ownership restricted. Light drugs use was never truly frowned upon, as something evil. Abortion rights were and still are a woman’s choice. The critical thinking for this side is pretty much expressed by the New York Times; it’s here world and national trends find a fair reflection through the eyes of its reporters and contributors. Politically, the Democratic Party had a solid support base among the first world’s population, most closely reflecting their individual values, income levels and concerns, fights for civil rights and equality, taxing the rich and supporting the poor through a variety of programs paid by the general public. These views are still here today, more or less, albeit mirroring the modern trends and advancements in technology and its global reach.

The other hand, this second world, has always been more conservative in its ways. They dislike the big government just the same, but for different reasons – for trying to take away the arms and assaulting the Second Amendment, for abortions made available for the asking, for thinking religious values held in high esteem were secondary to other, more important elements. They had and will forever have their pride of being Americans. The “Pledge of Allegiance” is something recited at public gatherings and in schools, and is the most natural expression of one’s values. And so is the National Anthem. The Constitution is something you revered, not criticized. Most of this second world holds belief in working hard, paying their taxes, following the laws of the land and working your way up in society. Welfare was not something one accepted as a way of life, in perpetuity. Taxes going up, as the only way to solve society’s problems, are seriously frowned upon. Believing much less unemployment means much less people needing welfare! Businesses must be given a chance to grow and compete, not to be sucked dry by insane high taxes imposed by the government. The Republican Party was and is infinitely more popular here, standing for wholesome and established way of living they share with their forefathers. They are not country bumpkins. You could never accuse them of being backward and regressive, but in an ever-changing world these people prefer to select the elements that most closely resemble their beliefs, hundreds of years of culture, tradition and personal habits. They hold very dearly the freedoms of speech, religion and the right to bear arms. Political innovations here are something you think about, regardless of what someone tells you. Critical thinking is a way of life. Together, they are the heart of America.

Let’s call the two worlds for what they truly are – left and right. If you live on the left side of the street, you generally know little of the right side. And what you do know causes you to view it with disdain and revulsion. It works both ways. The recently built border wall is what truly separates these worlds. People on the left accept illegal immigrants in their midst and want to grant them equal rights. Impoverished illegal immigrants make great future Democratic Party voters. The right sees it exactly the opposite, holding a belief that country borders are sacred and not a mere formality for anyone who just wants to come over. In the time of the virus, the left locks the country down, while entertaining maskless dinner parties’ guests and openly making their mission “to redistribute wealth”.

These days when you watch TV, study the Internet or read newspapers, you get an unhealthy dose of the world on the left and very little of the right side views, almost none. The right has been purged and censored it every way imaginable. If you don’t make a special effort to find what is really going on, you wouldn’t. Not having their voice heard makes the people on the right very angry. They are looking to even the score at some point. The right is seriously concerned with foreign influences in their midst when it comes to business and politics. They want to be proud of their country, of directions it takes and the right things it does in the world, both domestically and internationally. The right understands the difference between real honest News and Propaganda, which is referred to as “fake news.”

The world on the left eagerly accepts other counties’ agendas, even when they don’t serve American interests. They do it because they feel it is “humanely” justified to create level playing field for everyone, even to their own detriment. They are not concerned with long-term effects. Our left just wants to be applauded at large international gatherings from time to time. Looking “civilized” is more important than being right. Lefties tend to quickly betray their friends in the world, who they consider “expendable”. Politics is a dirty business. They don’t mind lying and cheating to achieve political goals. The right is just as prone to these fallacies, only not as fast or as often.

The two worlds are now in constant struggle with each other. Back in the twentieth century, there were very few differences between them. One would switch his vote from Democrats to Republicans and back, and think nothing of it. Today it’s impossible. They moved so far apart and are moving even further, politically. The division between street’s two sides is deeper than it ever was: elections, foreign influence; elements of socialism being pushed by the left and rejected by the right. Racial division, which was on the way of becoming passé, is fully in the news and drives a wedge into society’s heart. The left is fully to be blamed.

Truth is hard to come by, and so is justice. Woke capitalism is working against the “normal” capitalism and we don’t quite know what to do about it, except perhaps fight it. Neither side sees or finds much of anything in common with the other, making compromise nearly impossible to achieve. Negotiating a fair settlement on issues of national importance becomes very difficult. There is a sense of danger in the air. Paradoxically, the two parallel worlds are moving further away from each other and are on a certain collision course, as we put these words to paper. No one has any idea how the differences would be resolved or settled, be it peacefully or otherwise.

We all know about this dividing issue, regardless of which side one is on, we are all concerned. Each side wants to win, so much is pending on the final outcome of the 2020 Presidential election. Both sides would inevitably view it as a personal and national tragedy no matter the outcome. The question is then, what kind of battle is to follow? Will there be violence?

The sides do not like each other much. Will blood be spilled?

May we have the wisdom and political will to keep us together as a nation, to work on solutions without violence but also knowing our history has always been to fight in the task of maintaining our liberty and culture which is often termed the “American way of life.”