Historians, political scientists, social scientists and their students will spend considerable time in 2012 studying the influence of the Occupy Wall Street movement and its spin-offs upon the multiple socio-economic-political challenges before us. However, until the movement addresses the notion of American Exceptionalism and its delusional influence upon our national discourse, it will not be transformational.
At first glance, the two issues may seem unrelated. However, a close examination will reveal that many – if not most – Americans have only a very superficial understanding of our nation’s history because of the inordinate influence of the media and a failed public school system (see the latest news regarding the poor performance of U.S. students). With entertainment trumping substantial, in-depth reporting and analysis, our current first draft of history is incomplete and mediocre. Additionally, by any measure, it is clear that we have a full generation of students now that are unfamiliar with the specific movements, people, events and institutions which have shaped our history.
As a result, the Occupy Wall Street movement and its spin-offs will find it quite difficult to be catalysts for change. The primary challenge faced by the movement is that it includes so many people who are ill-equipped to be effective revolutionaries because they lack the knowledge to refute the false and failed notion of American Exceptionalism.
They can not transform the social, economic and political orders because they do not understand the fundamental principles guiding the systems against which they are revolting. What the occupiers oppose are threats to peace. It may not be phrased in those terms, but they are concerned about individual, family, community and world peace. They recognize corporate greed as a threat to peace. And right they are! But there are other threats to peace which we must acknowledge and address. That is why I have written The Dangerous Delusion of American Exceptionalism. As a historian, I draw upon my many free lance years spent teaching, writing and working in the public, private and nonprofit sectors to explore the various factors which have led to our decline and threaten our peace.
