Interfaith Insight - 2021
Permanent link for "Finding hope in the midst of cultural division" by Doug Kindschi on April 27, 2021
“Are we destined to live with ever more divisive politics and ever
more divided societies, growing inequalities and increasing
loneliness, less public regard for truth and ever more determined
efforts to ban and demonize the voices with which we disagree?” So
asked the late Rabbi Jonathan Sacks, former Chief Rabbi for the United
Kingdom, in his last book “Morality: Restoring the Common Good in
Divided Times.” Published in the United States in 2020 just prior to
his untimely death, Sacks calls for a renewed morality in our public
life.
A similar call and hopeful message come from the recent book,
“The Upswing: How America Came Together a Century Ago and How We Can
Do It Again.” Authors Robert Putnam, research professor at Harvard,
and Shaylyn Garrett, writer and social entrepreneur, analyze the
economic, political, social, and political trends throughout the last
century leading to the increased inequality and polarization of our
current time. We have been here before, in the early 1900s, in what is
referred to as the Gilded Age, but came out of that to a more
egalitarian and cooperative society in what they call “the upswing.”
Putnam’s vast sociological research documents that movement and
together the authors analyze how that upswing developed -- and why it
can happen again.
A very stimulating summary of their work, along with questions
from the current and three former presidents of GVSU, was recently
presented in the one-hour Presidential Roundtable. (Watch at: www.bit.ly/GVSU-presidents.) Putnam presents a
graph starting in the early 1900s with very low levels of political
collaboration, which then gave way to much increased collaboration
mid-century during the Eisenhower presidency. That’s when the
political parties cooperated to desegregate the armed forces, expand
Social Security coverage, add more public housing, and promote better
health care and education. There was cooperation on a massive
investment in infrastructure with the interstate highway system as the
hallmark. A Republican president along with a Democratic Congress
worked together for a country that was rebuilding following World War
II. That kind of cooperation then fades through the last half of the
century with conflict and division around Vietnam, Watergate, and
budget battles leading to government shutdowns. Putnam describes
today’s polarization as back to the low point of the early 20th
century and even worse.
Economic production and income during the 1900s, on average, grew
in remarkable ways when adjusting for inflation. In the early part of
the century, however, there was great disparity, with 1% of the
population holding nearly one-half of all the wealth in contrast to
the large number of immigrants who were struggling to survive. This
disparity diminished in the mid-century with financial regulation,
progressive tax rates, increased union membership, and expansion of
public welfare programs. But again, in the latter half of the century
economic disparity increased to levels like that of the early 1900s.
Similar patterns were found when the research looked at social
isolation and cultural self-centeredness. In each case they observed a
similar curve going from an I-centered society to a more we-centered
culture, but then returning to the current I-centered pattern. While
the pattern is instructive and the research impressive, what I found
most enlightening was their analysis of the leading indicators for the
“upswing” to the more collaborative spirit of the mid-century.
They looked for hints from the earlier upswing from the more
selfish era, to more cooperation and concern for the larger welfare of
society that marked the mid-century. What could we learn that would
help us seek another upswing in our social and cultural life together?
Two factors are identified by the authors as critical to the
beginning of the change. First was an increased concern for others,
especially for the less fortunate. This movement, sometimes referred
to as the “social gospel,” brought religious groups together with a
focus not so much on their differing beliefs, but on the common
commitment to love your neighbor.
Is it possible that we are observing a similar moral awakening
when persons of different religious, or no religion, are coming
together in efforts to right the wrongs that have been done in the
environment, or correct the racial disparity in how minorities are
treated by the police or by others who carry ill will toward those who
look or believe differently? Is the interfaith movement our current
moral effort to live out our common religious principles or deeply
felt values to care for those in need? Can the attitude of
understanding and accepting those of different faith commitments
become a new morality that seeks the common good in this era of
difference and fear?
The second observation of what led to the upswing last century
was the important leadership by the young. They realized that while
they had not created the problems, they could act to change society.
It was a vision that society doesn’t need to be based on a
competition, but on cooperation to help all thrive. The youth of today
have lived through the decline of solidarity and cooperation, and have
a right to be cynical, but Putnam pointedly stated to the youth,
“people just like you turned America around… It’s not your fault but
you have it in your power to change it.”
Garrett noted that this is the most diverse generation in
America’s history, and it sees the necessity to affirm and accept all
members of our society. She challenged the youth to do the “heart
work” which is also “hard work,” to set a new course for our society.
We are becoming a nation of minorities. Can we extend the
American dream of democracy to truly include and accept that diversity
as we address the difficult issues in our society?
Look at the diversity in age and race in the Black Lives Matter
movement. Look at the role of young people like Greta Thunberg in
calling the world leaders to account for the damage done to the planet
that her generation will inherit. Look at Malala Yousafzai, the young
Pakistani girl who was deliberately shot in the head because of her
outspoken defense of education for girls. Following her recovery, she
continued her campaign and became, at age 17, the youngest person to
ever receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
Look at Amanda Gorman, who inspired the nation in her poem
delivered at the Inauguration. In our own community, look at Hannah
Huggett, a high school student in Holland, Michigan, who is an
environmental activist, leader of her local chapter of the Sunshine
Movement, and an inspiring panelist at our recent Healing Our Earth webinar.
Youth are stepping up to the cause; they are asserting their
agency to change what is not right and work for a better society and a
healthier world. Can we all, no matter our generation, join them in
finding hope for a better world?
Authors Putnam and Garrett