The Author’s View
The book, under consideration, dwells upon the so-called culture wars in the USA. The author stresses that there is not such a process in the US society, as culture wars ceased to exist in the early 2000s.1 The author notes that now Americans are more concerned with political and economic problems rather than such cultural issues as homosexuality, gay marriages, abortions, and so on. Fiorina stresses that recent surveys on a public opinion show that there is little difference between views of people living in the states that were seen as culturally and politically polarized.2 Importantly, he states that researchers have often confused the political preferences of people and their views on culture. The so-called 50:50 society does not reflect Americans’ views on cultural matters but simply reveals people’s attitudes towards some politicians and political parties.3
Critique of the Argument
The writer articulates his argument in a clear and concise way. He explicitly expresses his position on the matter. In each chapter, he underlines his argument and provides a detailed explanation of his view. It is necessary to add that the author provides numerous data to support his claims. Importantly, he provides new insights into the ways to see various sociological surveys. He provides a broader perspective and makes the reader think of many possible meanings enclosed in data provided by numerous researchers.
Personal View
It is possible to note that the author’s argument is quite well-grounded, and it is true to life. It is clear that Americans may have different viewpoints on many aspects of American life. However, it is clear that contemporary society is not as polarized as it used to be, and as some people want it to seem. Politicians often make use of the so-called culture wars, as they tend to focus on cultural issues and make people share their views.
It is now acknowledged that society had changed tremendously since the 1990s when the notion of culture wars acquired substantial popularity. Clearly, contemporary multiculturalism has made American society more homogenous when it comes to cultural values as new generations are less polarized than older ones.4 People having different backgrounds (ethnic, religious, social, and so on) have shared their ideas, and this contributed to a certain kind of cultural unity. New generations are working out quite a homogeneous culture. Of course, this does not mean that all people now have similar views on cultural matters. However, there are no two camps, but there is a diversity of ideas and opinions that are often quite similar when it comes to general points.
A Question and the Comment
To what extent do election results reflect Americans’ views on major cultural issues?
People’s choice of a political party or a politician to vote for has little to do with the cultural standpoints of the party or its leader. People often vote for personalities they like or hate.5 Of course, many people consider cultural standpoints expressed by politicians. However, this is only one factor among many others that affect the results of elections. Hence, it is impossible to say that the country is polarized in terms of cultural values. It is important to research this issue in greater detail, and it is essential to pay attention to younger generations as soon they will make up the nation.
Bibliography
Fiorina, Morris P. Culture Wars? The Myth of a Polarized America. New York: Pearson, 2011. Web.
Thomson, Irene Taviss. Culture Wars and Enduring American Dilemmas. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2010. Web.
Footnotes
1. Morris P. Fiorina, Culture Wars? The Myth of a Polarized America (New York: Pearson, 2011), 8. Web.
2. Ibid., 57.
3. Ibid., 45.
4. Irene Taviss Thomson, Culture Wars and Enduring American Dilemmas (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2010), 94. Web.
5. Morris P. Fiorina, Culture Wars? The Myth of a Polarized America (New York: Pearson, 2011), 15. Web.