The movie Armageddon by Michael Bay depicts the American culture of patriotism. In the film, a group of deep core drillers is commissioned by NASA to help stop a humanity-threatening asteroid before it collides with earth. Patriotism can be defined as a feeling of devotion, love, and attachment to a country, civilization, or one’s homeland (Primoratz, 2016). Obeying religious values, civil ideals, or everyday lifestyles can strengthen patriotism.
Today, most Americans have a deeply rooted feeling of belonging to the United States and what it stands for. Americans are considered globalists, go-getters, independent, competitive, and entrepreneurial. In the build-up to the ‘Armageddon’ team leaving earth, the American President gives an inspiring speech to global citizens, citing the significance of resilience and togetherness (Anderson, 2011). Americans, Hindus, and Sikhs can be seen listening passionately to the President’s speech, indicating that they also subscribe to Americanism. However, it is vital to note that foreign cultures are depicted differently. For example, Sikhs can be seen in their turbans, whereas Hindus can be seen praying.
In the modern context, the American culture of patriotism still exists and is celebrated globally. Apart from patriotism, other aspects of U.S culture reach far and wide, and consuming it is routine for many non-U.S countries (Rankaduwa, 2018). People welcome American popular culture and respect the U.S. for many of its science and technological exploits in nations worldwide (Pew Research Center, 2016). There are also positive attitudes regarding American democracy and business, which are inclined towards capitalism. Most of these American ideals are depicted in movies such as Armaggedon. Given this reality, I believe that Americans can be proud of what their country has achieved over the years. Most people can appreciate that their culture circulates across the globe, triggering a more profound sense of patriotism.
References
Anderson, J. (2011). Armageddon–You guys are NASA scene [YouTube Video]. Web.
Pew Research Center. (2016). Chapter 2. attitudes toward american culture and ideas. Web.
Primoratz, I. (2016). Patriotism: Philosophical and political perspectives. In Google Books.
Rankaduwa, S. (2018). How “Armageddon” became the ultimate disaster movie (in more ways than one). Web.