Democracy and Our Purpose

Being part of a larger, democratic community, means that we are each individuals who play an important role through voice, activism, voting, running for office, and staying informed. We do have the ability to organize and be heard. We all have the capacity to make an impact and leave a mark, whether our name is remembered like Martin Luther King Jr. or as a teacher of the fifth grade. Like West mentions, even though money is important to the average American, most people are worried about their personal happiness by their low quality of life, being ruled by fear from the media, the chance of violent and criminal assault, the harsh realities of social life and structure, and the failure to experience intimacy. West calls this a “culturally decadent civilization” (212). By this he means, that as our society becomes addicted to superficiality and astray from compassion, anger arises creating a hostile environment and the inability of people to listen and speak. Communication is therefore hindered and stalled to the point that the people of a democracy-whether an individual or representative- are separated. As anger breeds, apathy arises, action decreases, and systems remain unchanged or degrade. “Dialogue is the lifeblood of a democracy and is predicated on certain bonds of truth and respect” (212). If the nurture and care is lost, the democracy becomes an illusion because it is fundamentally based on the ideas of reciprocal respect, individual conscientiousness, and social responsibility. Being part of something bigger than ourselves is simply part of our human nature. We crave being able to feel something, especially amongst others, a community. West describes that it is important for people to have this kind of “spiritual and moral awakening” in order to maintain a democracy.
If indifference and laziness take over, the power of strength in numbers looses its purpose. Greed and the desire to control develop in those who become purely individualistic. Without the communication and input of multiple people with varied opinions, the system can become corrupt, intolerant, and bias. Without questions, there is no seeking and therefore loss of meaning. Without strife, there is no dignity and therefore loss of pride. Without struggle, there is no pain and therefore no real human life qualities. We would become robots of power, a power we could potentially claim, and that would mean the hope of humans was lost because we would be taken over by our own lethargy. But this is not bound to happen, because as humans, we have an innate drive to always continue, to think, to reason, to move, to act. We were born to grow, and change will be seen. Judging its “good” or “bad”, “right” or “wrong” may no be the purpose, but some movement is. We are evolving along a continuum like everything else around us. It’s amazing how everything of the history has lead up to this moment now, not only in the life of humans, but all species, plants and animals. The future is unknown, and although our nation may seem skeptical and fully deserving of doubt, maybe there is so more ahead, some plan, an evolution we are all part of and can never fully know.