Growing up in the 1970s, the battle of “artificial” was in full swing. Fake fruit and vegetables, bread, and other things were sold in stores everywhere. There was an emerging cultural divide between wanting the appearance of being a genuine item and the convenience of artificial. Companies were willing to give the American consumer artificiality and convenience rather than having the real thing.
Appearance is more important than reality.
Those who grew up between the 1960s and the end of the fad in the 1980s probably remember those fake fruit bowls well. Those bowls became a cultural fad and a symbol of prosperity and wealth. The stagnation of the 1970s crippled the economy, and the Carter administration claimed America’s best days were in the past. But at least Americans had bowls of plastic fruit and vegetables to sit in the center of their tables. There are still some bowls of plastic fruits and vegetables around today. Hobby Lobby and Michael’s have this fake fruit in their stores (no, I do not get paid for the links).
While at the gym last week, I saw a commercial for Planet Fitness highlighting apparel for the LGBTQA+ community (1). There’s a knee-jerk reaction by many to either be jubilant or angry over corporate decisions such as this. This corporation made the apparel to sell to a specific demographic who will buy merchandise. Those on both sides of this social issue will make it into more than what it is. It is simply another case of appearance being more important than reality.
More artificial fruit, more superficiality, wanna supersize it?
Corporations are in the business of making a profit; as a capitalist, I recognize this, and I understand this. Some claim corporations have never been as politically active as they are now. This is not true. In the 1990s, Coca-Cola began a polar bear campaign to bring awareness to the near extinction of the species. It was a simple campaign, and hardly anyone objected to it. Walmart tried something to the Planet Fitness campaign, but for Juneteenth. Walmart planned to offer a special “Juneteenth ice cream” to celebrate the new federal holiday. It ended in the company’s financial and public relations disaster (2). Walmart removed the ice cream and apologized for its insensitivity.
But is Walmart the only corporation to make poor choices on what to capitalize on and what to leave alone? In the example of Planet Fitness, the website states that 100% of the profits from the sale of LBGTQA+ merchandise will be donated to causes that support the community. The average college/university first-year student doesn’t completely understand how the free market works. Many believe that if a shirt sells for $17.95, they expect at least $10.00 (if not the total price) should be donated. It isn’t until the actual store page where the items are displayed that a disclaimer is made that at least 30% of the retail price will be donated. On a $17.95 purchase, roughly $5.39 will be donated to LGBTQA+ causes. It’s another case of appearance being more important than reality.
The superficial society bears fruit.
I believe we are entering another age of an artificial America. There are times in American history where, out of fear of peer pressure and retaliation for not going along with the masses, many Americans have given into social and political trends out of convenience rather than genuine conviction. There have been some horrible events throughout American history where large groups have been involved. Recently, we’ve seen deadly riots in Portland and other major American cities. If we go back in history, there are race riots, lynchings, the Salem Witch trials, the Haymarket Riots, and other events. The United States is not alone in such mass public events happening.
Each event shares something in common – lots of people were there. But not everyone who was there was a participant in the unfolding events. They were swept up in a tide they could not escape from, part excitement and fear of being labeled as an enemy of the cause. At the time, those people taking part in those events thought they were doing something noble, something good. But through the lens of time, we see differently. It even happens in non-violent social movements, too. There’s mass psychology at work in the U.S. on so many issues. Dissent is being flamed from both the left and the right, with many being fooled by both sides. I believe most Americans are politically and socially just left and right of center. The manipulation we see is another case of appearance being more important than reality.
The role of social media in creating artificial America.
Social media contributes to America’s superficial society. We see its fruit all around us. Very rarely do we see people sharing the worst moments of their lives – we see them at their best. There’s pressure to present an unrealistic image of who we are for the world to see. We are bombarded with a message that we are less than others if we don’t meet the same standards they do. I get a laugh out of the PSAs warning youth about peer pressure when we see it used in social media by government, entertainers, athletes, and special interest groups to get us to conform to a set standard in everything to opinions about acceptable conduct, spending practices, and vaccinations.
Within social media, we see superficiality at work. The Facebook fact-checkers are almost comical in how they censor various articles critical of the Democratic Party or Left-wing/Liberal policies. When conservatives comment on Liberal content, even if it is on-topic or respectful, the Liberal reactions are not civil. And sadly, there are those on the right which will meet those comments with their own rude and inconsiderate responses. Both sides feel their anger and hatred of opposing views are right and just. However, this behavior thirty years ago would have been deemed unacceptable in the public forum.
Artificial America spreads beyond the cyberworld.
One of the recent developments in the new artificial America and its superficial culture is virtue signaling and cancel culture, two ideas that seemingly go hand-in-hand. Virtue signaling is when someone publicly promotes the concept they are a good person, such as on a public forum or on social media (3). Before social media, our grandparents called it “tooting your own horn,” and it was not seen in a good way. But in the modern world, political and social causes, trends, and convictions of convenience are all fair game for social media. And if one fails to support the latest popular cause publicly, there’s a backlash beyond social media.
Cancel culture is the ugly partner of virtue signaling. At first, it began as a way to target individuals, small businesses, and more giant corporations deemed as racists by social justice warriors. In fairness, some were acting out with racist tendencies. But others did not share the exact definition of what racism was as the SJW-defined view of racism, and that was enough to become a target of cancel culture. Cancel culture is the public shaming and ostracization to the extent the target may lose their job, livelihood, or become isolated from their community (4).
The destruction of self-determination and the rise of superficial people
While working on my Master’s degree, I focused on the history of the Early American Republic. Part of my required readings included the writings of the founding fathers and other Enlightenment Era philosophers. It profoundly impacted how I came to understand the founding of the United States and the appreciation I have for their vision. These were not gods or demi-gods but imperfect and passionate men driven by a society they hoped to change. And in the process, they changed as much as possible while making it possible for future generations to change what they could not. In the process, they enshrined protections that we often take for granted – the right to self-determination.
We live in an era where the right to be yourself is not absolute. There is a demand to conform to the mass identity and accept its moral values. The right to freedom of speech is fundamental, as is every other right protected by the First Amendment. Free speech means the right to say what one will without consequence (retaliation). The right to self-determination cannot exist without it. The right to self-determination is also under attack. Cancel culture does just that. Say something unacceptable, and you will be a target for cancelation. Sadly, many who identify as liberals and even Conservatives find it easier to remain quiet than to risk being a target. Their silence becomes a sign of acceptance by the loud and angry voices.
An artificial America will not be what people expect it to be.
One of the things we keep hearing from the media, politicians, and social influencers is how much happier we will be once we accept the new normal. “It’s for your good; once the new (economy, new constitution, new government, new whatever promised) is in place, you will see how much better your life is!” History is ripe with parties and nations where these exact words have been made. History has also seen free people become subjugated people. These subjugated people are nothing more than enslaved people to the bureaucratic and political class who are permanently insulated from the suffering and hardships they created for the rest of the nation.
Do we want a nation where we have a permanent political class that sees us as subjects to govern over? Do we continue down this path that who we are is determined by an unelected group of social influencers or a bureaucratic government board? Are we ready to hand over our children and grandchildren to a society where their future is not determined by their dreams and abilities but by the government? If you disagree, you might find yourself a target of cancel culture – or an assigned a social credit score as they are now using in China. This artificial America that’s coming is not what people will expect it to be.
References:
- “PF Pride Collection.” 2022. Planet Fitness Store | Collections | PF PRIDE Collection. Accessed June 20. https://www.pfstore.com/Browse/PRIDE.
- Daniels, Karu F. 2022. “Walmart’s Juneteenth Ice Cream Leaves a Bad Aftertaste.” New York Daily News. June 19. https://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/ny-juneteenth-walmart-ice-cream-controversy-20220618-hitekmuzn5f7lp3objaxkf6jwy-story.html.
- “Virtue Signaling: When People Try to Show Their Goodness.” 2022. Effectiviology. Accessed June 20. https://effectiviology.com/virtue-signaling/#:~:text=Virtue%20Signaling%3A%20When%20People%20Try%20to%20Show%20Their,Related%20concepts.%20…%206%20Summary%20and%20conclusions.%20.
- Dholakia , Utpal. 2020. “What Is Cancel Culture?” Psychology Today. Sussex Publishers. July 27. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-science-behind-behavior/202007/what-is-cancel-culture.
Featured image: 1562108 © Heintje Joseph Lee | Dreamstime.com
Alan Simmons is an instructor of history at a community college in Kentucky. He has been involved in education since 1999 and has taught in post-secondary education since 2004.
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Artificial America and the superficial culture
Alan Simmons Off American culture & society, Commentary,
Growing up in the 1970s, the battle of “artificial” was in full swing. Fake fruit and vegetables, bread, and other things were sold in stores everywhere. There was an emerging cultural divide between wanting the appearance of being a genuine item and the convenience of artificial. Companies were willing to give the American consumer artificiality and convenience rather than having the real thing.
Appearance is more important than reality.
Those who grew up between the 1960s and the end of the fad in the 1980s probably remember those fake fruit bowls well. Those bowls became a cultural fad and a symbol of prosperity and wealth. The stagnation of the 1970s crippled the economy, and the Carter administration claimed America’s best days were in the past. But at least Americans had bowls of plastic fruit and vegetables to sit in the center of their tables. There are still some bowls of plastic fruits and vegetables around today. Hobby Lobby and Michael’s have this fake fruit in their stores (no, I do not get paid for the links).
While at the gym last week, I saw a commercial for Planet Fitness highlighting apparel for the LGBTQA+ community (1). There’s a knee-jerk reaction by many to either be jubilant or angry over corporate decisions such as this. This corporation made the apparel to sell to a specific demographic who will buy merchandise. Those on both sides of this social issue will make it into more than what it is. It is simply another case of appearance being more important than reality.
More artificial fruit, more superficiality, wanna supersize it?
Corporations are in the business of making a profit; as a capitalist, I recognize this, and I understand this. Some claim corporations have never been as politically active as they are now. This is not true. In the 1990s, Coca-Cola began a polar bear campaign to bring awareness to the near extinction of the species. It was a simple campaign, and hardly anyone objected to it. Walmart tried something to the Planet Fitness campaign, but for Juneteenth. Walmart planned to offer a special “Juneteenth ice cream” to celebrate the new federal holiday. It ended in the company’s financial and public relations disaster (2). Walmart removed the ice cream and apologized for its insensitivity.
But is Walmart the only corporation to make poor choices on what to capitalize on and what to leave alone? In the example of Planet Fitness, the website states that 100% of the profits from the sale of LBGTQA+ merchandise will be donated to causes that support the community. The average college/university first-year student doesn’t completely understand how the free market works. Many believe that if a shirt sells for $17.95, they expect at least $10.00 (if not the total price) should be donated. It isn’t until the actual store page where the items are displayed that a disclaimer is made that at least 30% of the retail price will be donated. On a $17.95 purchase, roughly $5.39 will be donated to LGBTQA+ causes. It’s another case of appearance being more important than reality.
The superficial society bears fruit.
I believe we are entering another age of an artificial America. There are times in American history where, out of fear of peer pressure and retaliation for not going along with the masses, many Americans have given into social and political trends out of convenience rather than genuine conviction. There have been some horrible events throughout American history where large groups have been involved. Recently, we’ve seen deadly riots in Portland and other major American cities. If we go back in history, there are race riots, lynchings, the Salem Witch trials, the Haymarket Riots, and other events. The United States is not alone in such mass public events happening.
Each event shares something in common – lots of people were there. But not everyone who was there was a participant in the unfolding events. They were swept up in a tide they could not escape from, part excitement and fear of being labeled as an enemy of the cause. At the time, those people taking part in those events thought they were doing something noble, something good. But through the lens of time, we see differently. It even happens in non-violent social movements, too. There’s mass psychology at work in the U.S. on so many issues. Dissent is being flamed from both the left and the right, with many being fooled by both sides. I believe most Americans are politically and socially just left and right of center. The manipulation we see is another case of appearance being more important than reality.
The role of social media in creating artificial America.
Social media contributes to America’s superficial society. We see its fruit all around us. Very rarely do we see people sharing the worst moments of their lives – we see them at their best. There’s pressure to present an unrealistic image of who we are for the world to see. We are bombarded with a message that we are less than others if we don’t meet the same standards they do. I get a laugh out of the PSAs warning youth about peer pressure when we see it used in social media by government, entertainers, athletes, and special interest groups to get us to conform to a set standard in everything to opinions about acceptable conduct, spending practices, and vaccinations.
Within social media, we see superficiality at work. The Facebook fact-checkers are almost comical in how they censor various articles critical of the Democratic Party or Left-wing/Liberal policies. When conservatives comment on Liberal content, even if it is on-topic or respectful, the Liberal reactions are not civil. And sadly, there are those on the right which will meet those comments with their own rude and inconsiderate responses. Both sides feel their anger and hatred of opposing views are right and just. However, this behavior thirty years ago would have been deemed unacceptable in the public forum.
Artificial America spreads beyond the cyberworld.
One of the recent developments in the new artificial America and its superficial culture is virtue signaling and cancel culture, two ideas that seemingly go hand-in-hand. Virtue signaling is when someone publicly promotes the concept they are a good person, such as on a public forum or on social media (3). Before social media, our grandparents called it “tooting your own horn,” and it was not seen in a good way. But in the modern world, political and social causes, trends, and convictions of convenience are all fair game for social media. And if one fails to support the latest popular cause publicly, there’s a backlash beyond social media.
Cancel culture is the ugly partner of virtue signaling. At first, it began as a way to target individuals, small businesses, and more giant corporations deemed as racists by social justice warriors. In fairness, some were acting out with racist tendencies. But others did not share the exact definition of what racism was as the SJW-defined view of racism, and that was enough to become a target of cancel culture. Cancel culture is the public shaming and ostracization to the extent the target may lose their job, livelihood, or become isolated from their community (4).
The destruction of self-determination and the rise of superficial people
While working on my Master’s degree, I focused on the history of the Early American Republic. Part of my required readings included the writings of the founding fathers and other Enlightenment Era philosophers. It profoundly impacted how I came to understand the founding of the United States and the appreciation I have for their vision. These were not gods or demi-gods but imperfect and passionate men driven by a society they hoped to change. And in the process, they changed as much as possible while making it possible for future generations to change what they could not. In the process, they enshrined protections that we often take for granted – the right to self-determination.
We live in an era where the right to be yourself is not absolute. There is a demand to conform to the mass identity and accept its moral values. The right to freedom of speech is fundamental, as is every other right protected by the First Amendment. Free speech means the right to say what one will without consequence (retaliation). The right to self-determination cannot exist without it. The right to self-determination is also under attack. Cancel culture does just that. Say something unacceptable, and you will be a target for cancelation. Sadly, many who identify as liberals and even Conservatives find it easier to remain quiet than to risk being a target. Their silence becomes a sign of acceptance by the loud and angry voices.
An artificial America will not be what people expect it to be.
One of the things we keep hearing from the media, politicians, and social influencers is how much happier we will be once we accept the new normal. “It’s for your good; once the new (economy, new constitution, new government, new whatever promised) is in place, you will see how much better your life is!” History is ripe with parties and nations where these exact words have been made. History has also seen free people become subjugated people. These subjugated people are nothing more than enslaved people to the bureaucratic and political class who are permanently insulated from the suffering and hardships they created for the rest of the nation.
Do we want a nation where we have a permanent political class that sees us as subjects to govern over? Do we continue down this path that who we are is determined by an unelected group of social influencers or a bureaucratic government board? Are we ready to hand over our children and grandchildren to a society where their future is not determined by their dreams and abilities but by the government? If you disagree, you might find yourself a target of cancel culture – or an assigned a social credit score as they are now using in China. This artificial America that’s coming is not what people will expect it to be.
References:
Featured image: 1562108 © Heintje Joseph Lee | Dreamstime.com
Alan Simmons
Alan Simmons is an instructor of history at a community college in Kentucky. He has been involved in education since 1999 and has taught in post-secondary education since 2004.
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Tags: cancel culture, Classical Liberal, Commentary, Enlightenment, Self-determination, virtue signaling
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About The Author
Alan Simmons
Alan Simmons is an instructor of history at a community college in Kentucky. He has been involved in education since 1999 and has taught in post-secondary education since 2004.