John Stonestreet and Kasey Leander reflect on Americans increasingly shunning the values their nation was founded upon, noting that such value changes point to a deeper shift in the way that Americans think about reality itself, particularly when it comes to meaning, purpose, and identity. To solve the issues of a fractured society, one must first accurately diagnose the crisis, they write, adding, “America needs a revival, one that will rekindle belief in what is true and good, and ultimately in that which is bigger than ourselves.” Read more.
Americans are pulling back from values that once defined them
If there is no moral design to reality, or for humanity in particular, what people value is inconsequential. In such a world, there is nothing to be pursued outside of individual expression, which is assumed to lead to happiness and human flourishing. Who cares if people do not value communities, countries or tolerance? It is the inherent determination of individuals, the pursuit of what they want the most, that will inevitably guide them. We can only follow our own impulses and desires.
