Identity crises shape all of mankind; from the individual person, to the large conglomerate, to our perceptions, thoughts, and opinions. All groups of all sizes have opportunities to grow through the pain and uncertainty of a crisis to come out the other end stronger and wiser. This lesson is paramount now more than ever, as a shift is happening all across the world. The earth’s people are facing challenges unlike ever before, and this tension is perfectly encapsulated and exemplified in the climate of the United States of America.

America’s Early-Life Crisis

The catalyst for the U.S.’s early-life crisis was almost certainly the Civil War, a war distinguished by the internal battle between single and dual-awareness. In their enemies on the battlefield, soldiers saw their own reflection and were facing the demons only they wrought (hence the infamous phrase “brother against brother”). After all, the cornerstone of the war was slavery; The South believed slaves were property (i.e. a single perspective), whereas the North believed black Americans should be free (i.e. dual-awareness). 

If the Civil War concluded in the way our history books say it did, America came out a dual-minded entity, allowing for another perspective in addition to the original. This was an important lesson, a lesson few countries have had the privilege of experiencing (think of countries like Russia or North Korea, where leaders force their singular view upon the nation).

Dual-Minded Blindness

The U.S. was able to evolve to see things from two perspectives, but it has not yet experienced its quarter-life crisis. This is clearly evident from many perspectives; the media only covers stories that would be considered right or wrong, the government only provides two (viable) parties for the populace to support, the economy operates within the “U.S. vs. everyone else” mindset, and even social justice issues such as racism can be boiled down to a literal black and white perspective. The most essential proof, however, is the dual-mindedness of the people. The people make up the country, and if the people are two-sided, so the country will be. 

A New Hope

There is a silver lining, however. The essential spark that begins a transition through a crisis is when the individual understands that something is wrong. If Americans were aware how dichotomous the system is and were alright with it, the country would surely be doomed. Luckily, though, regardless of which side of the fence people are standing, the common knowledge is things are not alright.

Moving Forward

Here are the lessons to take away from this information:

1. Something is wrong in America. This is an essential first step. As the saying goes, “The first step is admitting you have a problem.” Progress can’t be made without acceptance of the issue.

2. It’s alright that America isn’t perfect. It’s alright because it means America is on the brink of an evolution. The U.S. now has an opportunity to metamorphose into a county with multi-awareness, creating a better system for all its citizens.

3. I should be proud of America because of this crisis. Crisis means growth, which means this country is primed to become something more. Just as a parent is proud of their child who is stumbling through difficult life transitions, we can be proud that America is aware enough to know it is struggling. 

4. I can help America through this crisis. The dual-awareness is no longer healthy for our country, so we need to focus our energies and intentions into trailblazing a path towards multi-awareness. Stop feeding into the racism, the bipartisanship, and the fear-mongering media. Promote awareness, love, and respect of all ways of life. 

America has some very difficult times ahead of it, of that no one has any doubt. Luckily, we all have an opportunity to do what we can to make this tumultuous time a time of growth and learning. If we can do that, once it's over, we will all have an America we can be proud of.