The spirit is the deeper intrinsic concept of it.
The ideology is the extrinsic set of presumed beliefs and associated ritualized behaviors.
Do you think your assessment of which is currently factoring larger, is the best scenario?
© 2026 – SoulSequel
15 responses to “Which do you think factors larger in the American society? The American spirit; or the American ideology?”
More presise / different definitions please. They seem like exactly the same without distinguishing them via defining characteristics.
@Jear77
Think “spirit of the law” vs “letter of the law”. The pure notion vs the religion.
It’s hard to get more precise than “intrinsic America” vs “extrinsic America”.
Which do you think prevails in the current social reality?
@griz it largely depends on what area of the country, and political atmosphere. Talk to someone who wants to build a wall, throw out illegal aliens and you getthe latter. Talk to someone whose spouse would be deported because of the change in laws and you’ll get the former
@Jear77
My observations are made from coast-to-coast; city and country; every contiguous state in the union.
And I don’t pick-and-choose the people I enter into discussion with.
So I’m not sure if too many people can share this perspective. But I’m asking them to try, based perhaps on information gleaned from news, talk-shows, social media, and experiences in their own city, neighborhood and their own mind.
Do you think the “vision” of America is still a good and valid one to strive for, support and participate in? Or is it in need of being melted down and “recycled”?
(Remembering that our society has a very “throw-away” attitude; and a proclivity for underestimating the effect of poking and prodding a system we haven’t bothered trying to fully understand)
@griz it’s not one vision. It’s something like looking through a cracked (albeit not totally broken) mirror. There are different perspectives even tho it’s still technically one piece. And no one majority truly rules the day. People vote for what they consider to be best out of poor/ unoptimal choices.
@Jear77
I would observe that any assembly of people who don’t have a common unifying vision, is marked for partisan dissention, fatal rifts and dissolution.
In what ways, do you see America as NOT headed to this destination?
@griz the pendulum swing of politics. We try one thing. It fails (at some level), so we put someone else in office.
@Jear77
Do you think success of the Nation is entirely within the purview of just one of the divisive political factions?
Within the purview of overall political narrative? Politicians essentially just do what their masters allow them to do; with an overarching theme no more noble than just being re-elected for the next term.
I don’t see the problems assailing the Nation as something that can be resolved within current political domain.
@griz ultimately we are going to et a different system. The only question is when and what upheavals will be caused from it.
@Jear77
It’s already known what doesn’t work: radical swings from one extreme to the other with upheaval.
Is there logic in repeating it endlessly and hoping for a different outcome?
(Which could then open a dialogue on different things that might work. “Might work” seems a step up from “hasn’t worked yet”. )
@griz the likely upheaval will be another civil war. But this time there won’t be states who agree with one side or that. It’ll be impossible to distinguish friend from foe until they shoot you.
@Jear77
A civilized and intelligent people should be able to find another option.
And if all that is left are uncivilized and unintelligent people, I guess they could kill each other off enough that Canada could annex what’s left and give y’all universal healthcare and decent beer!
Maybe the concept of America was untenable from the get-go? Though personally I thought it was a rather worthy experiment that could have worked if social responsibility had been pushed at least as hard as personal rights.
I was hoping to get a bit more interaction on this thread from Americans who still believed in the concept or spirit of America.
The spirit through stories, cinema…the ritualized beliefs are the enemy.
@five2one
The nature of any “spirit” is that moves openly and freely. The ritualized beliefs and behaviors have to do with the ideological structure (the “religion”) — and are perhaps only manifested as “enemy” when they generate ideologues who are possessed by them and no longer able to think freely and openly.
There being an ideology doesn’t HAVE to result in imprisoned ideologues (addicts). But it too often does.
The Spirit of Christ is very active in America. But, that is what it is…
Many do not have the Spirit and therefore can not benefit.