The Definition of Democracy

Personally, it's been a while since I have read any powerful or stirring articles considering the fact that most people today that take the stage in the recent years have very little to fight for, have no passion, or do not have firsthand experience of the matter they are arguing for. The times that I do find an interesting piece, I can't help but think of what the author ponders about as they write the piece. What inspires them, or how did they come about to such a powerful conclusion? Reading the articles made me think of just this subject.

The name Cornel West has only slipped through my ear a few times before reading this article. The name was not unfamiliar as most text books have mentioned his name before, and even more the list of publications he has written. Nevertheless, I have not had the chance of reading any of his writings before "Moral Obligations."

If I had to describe the article in two words, I would use the phrase: "incredibly astounding." What this article showed me is a new definition of democracy. Browsing through the Internet, I found that this article was written more than ten years ago, yet the same concept still applies to modern society. What is our definition of a democracy? Living in the United States, one will often feel pressured to adapt to social norms. I personally had to go through this, being an immigrant from the Philippines. In order to be fully accepted by peers, I had to assimilate myself into their culture, while losing my original culture almost entirely. Now that I am a little more grown up, I tend to question what American culture truly is? When I think of the United States, I don't think of people waving the American flag, fast food joints, and football. I think of it as a safe haven--a place where people are able to speak their minds fully, get a better life for themselves and their families, and have a say in who, what, and how the country is governed.

Though this is how I view American culture is now, it was not always the case. I know that through history, countless people have made sacrifices so that I am able to sit in a classroom with people that don't look anything like me, or that I can even go to a decent school in the first place. I find it eerie that actions that people did almost fifty years ago in the civil rights movement has had such an impact on society today. It makes me think of whether my actions today could possibly influence society fifty years from now. And though it might seem far and I might seem insignificant, my actions, and the actions of the people around me will matter somehow.

What struck me the most about this article is West's stance on capitalism. Though not blatantly, he asks the readers what their role is in a nation of capitalism, where only a few control the vast riches the country holds. On a side note, I find it ironic that it is these same people that brown-nose and tell us on media to help out our society through acts of charity and volunteering.

All this aside, I still am trying to re-define the American definition of democracy. Hopefully through education and a deeper learning of what it means to be an American, I can sought this out.