Deconstruct This: E Pluribus Unum

America used to be the country where many gathered towards one grand goal (E Pluribus Unum--Out of many, one).  Many grandiose national projects have been achieved by the gathering of the collective will.  Unions and public masses would gather as one to contest injustices in many aspects of social and economic life.  The "United" States represented the epitome of what it means to have a union of people to achieve greater goals than the sum of its parts.

We need to take another look at what E Pluribus Unum now seems to represent. 

Presently, our society is in conflict and selfishly independent.  Many have decided that only their individual lives matter, and the rest should figure it out on their own.  Many have decided that their own independence matters more than the collective whole of the nation.  We invested for our own selfish gain and we continue to expect the government to assist in our personal gain (Through decrease in taxes or increase in government assistance, for example).  We prepare our children for their own success.  We vote for policies and politicians that would reflect our own independent needs.

So, perhaps E Pluribus Unum now represents not the many coming together as one.  Instead, it represents that out of the collection of individuals, only one matters:  Out of the hundreds of workers, only one CEO matters.  Out of a collection of firefighters, let us split them apart and condition them to think that their individual safety nets are more important than society's.  Out of team concept, let us focus on the "Jimmers" or "Kembas" of the world.

Long were the days when out of many, one unity arose.  Now are the days that, out of so many who sacrificed for this nation before us, all we care about is one--ourselves.