Fear Helps?

Jonathan Haidt, an opinion columnist for the New York Times, has a very interesting concept about how Americans can deal with mounting threats and challenges in this election year. He states that "shared fear" can help us as a country, unite and solve all of these mounting problems. He writes that a single event that focuses our attention collectively (like national elections), is good for the country. Focusing all our attention on a single competition has historically united the citizens of the United States. He states that we as a nation bear some of the responsibility of what has happened to our nation. Rich, poor, middle class...all the same. He says if we as Americans focus on common threats to our nation, as opposed to common ground, then we would be a more united people. Unlike a foreign attack, problems that only threaten values held by certain groups of Americans, divide us as a nation. Haidt states that "morality binds and blinds." In America, it mostly blinds. Haidt's article is only trying to create a realization that we are all petty, but if we were to focus on common issues and threats, the country would be miles better. Fearing our problems as a collective will solve more problems than trying to focus on our party vendettas.