Angela D. Coleman, Ìbíyínká Oladojá Oyèwọlá, is a nonprofit executive, social entrepreneur, and scholar-practitioner dedicated to transforming communities through innovation, systems-level thinking, and equity-centered solutions.
What do Americans fear most? Some believe what Americans fear most, in general, is change.
Americans are living in fear and so is the rest of the planet.
Change is a constant. Instead of existing in fear, we can embrace a vision of the future that benefits us all, and be the change we want to see.
Money
The economy is something that impacts everyone, of course, in different ways. Some of us fear money and the indicators of “success” that we often associate with it. For far too many, what Americans fear the most is not having enough money. Enough for necessities like food, clothing, and shelter. Enough to take care of and support themselves and others they care about. Enough to accomplish their goals, like going to college or starting a business. Enough to fulfill their destiny.
Entrepreneurship, business diversity, market responsiveness to supply and demand are all part of a healthy economy. Large business monopolies are not usually permitted to dominate and restrict competition in a capitalist society.
Moral decline
Societies thrive when people are given the space and tools to do good things. Widespread unchecked corruption, a lack of empathy, and excessive ego-driven “me first” selfishness are demonstrative conditions for moral decline. Moral decline pits us against each other, breaking families and communities apart. This type of decay can break systems of socialized norms, including expectations of honesty, decency, fairness, public service, and giving back.
Shared resources, teamwork, public health, collective will and benefit, access equity, clean air and water, affordable housing, and help for those with special needs are typical characteristics of a healthy, thriving community.
Government
Most of us know that abuse is possible regarding any and all types of power. It is especially difficult when power is abused by those with control over other people’s lives, and is institutionalized, widening its impact on masses of people. Abusing the power of position and authority creates oppression and pain, plus long-term damage. Institutionalized corruption, especially by government officials, can be overwhelming and disruptive for its citizens, affecting everything from taxes and employment to education and healthcare.
Without an understanding of how government works, without people’s trust and support, and without proper representation, most government institutions, especially those that claim to be democratic, will inevitably fall apart.
Politics
This may seem redundant considering the one above, but it’s not because government and politics are two distinctly different things; government is the system, whereas politics refers to the process one goes through to acquire and maintain a position of authority and power within the system. When elected officials act in their own best interests, undermining the will of the people who voted for them, the sense of betrayal and helplessness can be quite intense.
Corruption in government or politics to gain, abuse, and/or maintain power over the will of the people is usually treated as unlawful, criminal behavior in a democratic society.
Freedom
With time, money, and emotional investment in making our lives as wonderful as possible, we crave the positivity and carefreeness of feeling free. Like a child with no bills, we want to be free, feel nurtured, and taken care of. With freedom, we are unencumbered by the daily, weekly, or monthly stressors of the world. We have better moods and depositions, we are happier, healthier, and know that there will always be enough of whatever we might need and want. Humanity’s most hard-fought battles were and are for freedom.
Freedom is simultaneously a circumstance and a state of mind. Freedom can be conditional, generational, and more. You can only self-actualize and fulfill your destiny when you have freedom.
Climate change
There is no time. According to Sierra Club, what we have been doing on Planet Earth to fight climate change is not nearly enough to make a difference in the gloomy expected outcome. Sensing the need to do more right now and now being in full control of the mechanisms to do so can be frustrating. The desire and need for action does not automatically lead to action. It’s okay. Know that you are making a difference.
Whether recycling, renewing, reusing, thrifting, using sustainble solutions and eco-freindly bulding practices, practicing environmentally mindful behaviors are like drops in the sea. When do it together, we are powerful.
Healthy air, water, and food are key basic biological imperatives for survival. for humans. And of course, we do not just exist to survive; we want to do more than that. Our air, water, ground, and sky are filled with toxicity and microplastics. We may not understand when the problem started or how it came to be, but we clearly see the damaging impacts on our physical health and emotional well-being.
People over profit. When businesses are required to be socially responsible and obey environmental laws that protect Mother Nature and its inhabitants, we can expect cleaner living conditions for Earth’s living beings and future generations.
War
Founded with violence, steeped in blood, genocide, and colonialism, America’s history means that war has always been a part of the country. The citizens know this and, as a result, have had to adapt to the fact that war is always, consistently, an ever-present possibility, just another day in the USA.
Most people with a conscience do not like the sensation of feeling a cloud of war hanging overhead all the time. We can respect other people’s rights and liberties, just as we would like them to respect ours.
Fears about war can create a loop of hopelessness as the decision to “go to war” is usually one made by others. Civil war is different, unpredictable, and jarring. When those who identify with certain groups clash with other groups, this war can last for many, many generations.
Technology
If you are not fearful about technology, you have not been paying attention. We’ve seen the movies: Terminator, RoboCop, The Matrix, etc. We’ve seen the robot videos and binge-watched seasons of Black Mirror. The apps on our cell phones and laptops, plus “smart” listening and viewing devices, and the cookies we all use can make us paranoid, if we let it.
Let’s be realistic, smart, and take control of our choices. Most of us use AI daily, even if we don’t want to. Technology includes browser searches, social media, over-surveillance, hacking, sextortion, randsom attacks, data leaks, cybercrimes, and more.
Health
Most of us agree with the traditional saying, “health is wealth.” More than ever, Americans are focused on staying fit, eating well, and especially maintaining positive mental health. Most people want to live a healthy, long, and quality life, which is heavily influenced by social media, climate change, pollution, and a sense of feeling powerless.
When feeding your body and mind, don’t forget to nourish your soul. To maintain holistic health, we need clean air and water and must also surround ourselves with positivity, support, and joy, plus recognize what ails us and let it go.
We use cookies only on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “REJECT ALL”, you reject the limited internal use of cookies. REJECT ALL
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
