--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: American views today are weak, confused…" description: "\"American views today are weak, confused, and divided. On one side, many progressive liberals still think that we humans are essentially good and gettin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/os-guinness-6581_bases_american-views-today-are-weak-confused-a_59443.jpg" --- # American views today are weak, confused, and divided. On… ![“American views today are weak, confused, and divided. On one side, many progressive liberals still think that we humans are essentially good and getting better and better. On the other side, many postmoderns actually think it is worse to judge evil than to do evil. And in the middle, many ordinary…” quote by Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/os-guinness-6581_bases_american-views-today-are-weak-confused-a_59443.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/os-guinness-6581_bases_american-views-today-are-weak-confused-a_59443.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/os-guinness-6581_bases_american-views-today-are-weak-confused-a_59443.jpg) > “American views today are weak, confused, and divided. On one side, many progressive liberals still think that we humans are essentially good and getting better and better. On the other side, many postmoderns actually think it is worse to judge evil than to do evil. And in the middle, many ordinary folk plaster life with rainbows and smile buttons and wander through life on the basis of sentiment and clichés.” [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques contemporary American discourse as fragmented, with progressives idealizing human nature, postmodernists avoiding moral judgment, and many people relying on superficial optimism. **In simple terms:** America's cultural conversation is split and shallow. Key Takeaway Beware of simplistic narratives that ignore complexity. Themes cultural fragmentation moral relativism optimism vs realism political polarization social criticism Mood critical skeptical reflective Type observation social critique cultural commentary When to use this quote - political debates - media analysis - social media discourse - public policy discussions Key Concepts human nature ethical judgment sentimentality clichés Practical Applications - critical essays - civic education Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions underlie each worldview? - How can deeper dialogue be fostered? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [American Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-views-815253/) [Bases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bases/) [Better Postmoderns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/better-postmoderns-815254/) [Buttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/buttons/) [Confused](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confused/) [Divided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divided/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) [Get better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/get-better/) [Getting better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-better/) [Getting Better And Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-better-and-better/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Liberals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberals/) [Liberals Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberals-think-304595/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Ordinary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinary/) [Plasters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plasters/) [Postmodern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/postmodern/) [Progressive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive/) [Progressive Liberals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progressive-liberals-815252/) [Rainbow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rainbow/) [Sentiments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sentiments/) [Sides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sides/) [Stills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stills/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Views](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/views/) [Wander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wander/) [Weak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weak/) ## Related quotes > [Progressive liberals seem incapable of stating the obvious truth: that we who are well off should be willing to share more of what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-foster-wallace/progressive-liberals-seem-incapable-of-stating-the-obvious-truth-that/) [David Foster Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-foster-wallace/) > [I said that liberals think people who live in the middle of the country are a bunch of jerks, and obviously all liberals don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-goldberg/i-said-that-liberals-think-people-who-live-in-the-middle-of-the/) [Bernard Goldberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-goldberg/) > [To understand the workings of American politics, you have to understand this fundamental law: Conservatives think liberals are stupid. Liberals think conservatives are evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/to-understand-the-workings-of-american-politics-you-have-to/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [ The fundamental difference is that conservatives think man is created in God's image. Liberals think they \[themselves\] are gods - they want to create… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/the-fundamental-difference-is-that-conservatives-think-man-is-created/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [You Liberals think that goats are just sheep from broken homes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-bradbury/you-liberals-think-that-goats-are-just-sheep-from-broken-homes/) [Malcolm Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-bradbury/) > [I really think that most liberals think that the things they think are helping the country. I really do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wahl/i-really-think-that-most-liberals-think-that-the-things-they-think/) [Ken Wahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wahl/) > [Some liberals think that describing any role that education gaps play in creating income inequality is some sort of sellout - that, in essence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-noah/some-liberals-think-that-describing-any-role-that-education-gaps-play/) [Timothy Noah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-noah/) > [Abortion is the only event that modern liberals think too violent and obscene to portray on TV. This is not because they are squeamish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hitchens/abortion-is-the-only-event-that-modern-liberals-think-too-violent-and/) [Peter Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hitchens/) > [ WL’s \[White Liberals\] think all the world’s problems can be fixed without any cost to themselves. We don’t believe that. There’s a lot to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-farmer/wl-s-white-liberals-think-all-the-world-s-problems-can-be-fixed/) [Paul Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-farmer/) > [Here's a group of people - this is how the liberals think - a group of people, smokers, we hate 'em. They're yuk, they're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/here-s-a-group-of-people-this-is-how-the-liberals-think-a-group-of/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [If liberals think Iraqis are genetically incapable of pulling off even the most rudimentary form of democracy, why do they believe 50 million Mexicans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/if-liberals-think-iraqis-are-genetically-incapable-of-pulling-off/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [ A lot of conservative writers have twisted that argument in the conversation around Judge \[Gonzalo\] Curiel and said this is identity politics as played… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dahlia-lithwick/a-lot-of-conservative-writers-have-twisted-that-argument-in-the/) [Dahlia Lithwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dahlia-lithwick/) > [People, especially the liberals, just live in this world where if anything is said that offends anybody even a little bit, not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/people-especially-the-liberals-just-live-in-this-world-where-if/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [ \[Liberals\] think they can pass a law eliminating guns and nuclear weapons, but teenagers having sex is completely beyond our control. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/liberals-think-they-can-pass-a-law-eliminating-guns-and-nuclear/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Liberals think their campaign against Wal-Mart is a way of introducing the subject of class into America's political argument, and they are more correct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/liberals-think-their-campaign-against-wal-mart-is-a-way-of/) [George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/) ## More by Os Guinness > [Too often we forget that the great men of faith reached the heights they did only by going through the depths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/too-often-we-forget-that-the-great-men-of-faith-reached-the-heights/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [There are lots of people depending on the government who are good, honest citizens who have worked all their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/there-are-lots-of-people-depending-on-the-government-who-are-good/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [What is undeniable is that when comforts and convenience sap our energies and idealism, inactivity secretes sloth in to our minds like a poison…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/what-is-undeniable-is-that-when-comforts-and-convenience-sap-our/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [Freedom is not the permission to do what you like. It's the power to do what you ought.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/freedom-is-not-the-permission-to-do-what-you-like-it-s-the-power-to/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [“It is realistic rather than cynical to observe that in a fallen world there are degrees of virtue in relation to what is right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/it-is-realistic-rather-than-cynical-to-observe-that-in-a-fallen-world/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [For the grand and inescapable tradition of western literary classics confronts us with fundamental choices over our understanding of words, reading and art, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/for-the-grand-and-inescapable-tradition-of-western-literary-classics/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [“The story is told of Socrates walking through the market in Athens, with its groaning abundance of options, and saying to himself, "Who would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/the-story-is-told-of-socrates-walking-through-the-market-in-athens/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [By our uncritical pursuit of relevance we have actually courted irrelevance; by our breathless chase after relevance without a matching committment to faithfulness, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/by-our-uncritical-pursuit-of-relevance-we-have-actually-courted/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [Evangelicalism can only remain evangelical if it is passionately serious about truth and theology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/evangelicalism-can-only-remain-evangelical-if-it-is-passionately/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [“Sometimes when I listen to people who say they have lost their faith, I am far less surprised than they expect. If their view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/sometimes-when-i-listen-to-people-who-say-they-have-lost-their-faith/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [“Neither secular progress nor secular progressives have brought the West where they once promised. Nor can they.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/neither-secular-progress-nor-secular-progressives-have-brought-the/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [This is also why it is wrong to treat God as a grand employment agency, a celestial executive searcher to find perfect fits for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/this-is-also-why-it-is-wrong-to-treat-god-as-a-grand-employment/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [We human beings are never happier than when we are expressing the deepest gifts that are truly us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/we-human-beings-are-never-happier-than-when-we-are-expressing-the/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [Christ is the only way to God, but there are as many ways to Christ as there are people who come to Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/christ-is-the-only-way-to-god-but-there-are-as-many-ways-to-christ-as/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) > [Friedrich Nietzsche predicted that secular people, losing touch with transcendence, would eventually lose a reference point from which to look down and judge themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/friedrich-nietzsche-predicted-that-secular-people-losing-touch-with/) [Os Guinness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) [Explore all 98 Os Guinness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/) ## More Bases quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [I don't want to go into space because of war. I think we would if it was triggered. If China said they want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-want-to-go-into-space-because-of-war-i-think-we-would-if-it/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [According to the best research, less than 3% of Americans have written goals, and less than 1% review and rewrite their goals on a daily basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/according-to-the-best-research-less-than-3-of-americans-have-written/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. The control that people traditionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-sorrell/i-m-in-a-business-where-there-s-complete-anarchy-you-can-t-control-it/) [Martin Sorrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-sorrell/) > [This tendency to avoid problems and the emotional suffering inherent in them is the primary basis of all human mental illness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-r-swindoll/this-tendency-to-avoid-problems-and-the-emotional-suffering-inherent/) [Charles R. Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-r-swindoll/) > [There are dangers in consensus: it could be an attempt to satisfy people holding no particular views about anything. ... No great party can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/there-are-dangers-in-consensus-it-could-be-an-attempt-to-satisfy/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) > [There's no way to have a peace agreement unless the mediator or negotiator looks at both sides from an equal basis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/there-s-no-way-to-have-a-peace-agreement-unless-the-mediator-or/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Coercion is the basis of every law in the universe,--human or divine. A law is not law without coercion behind it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/coercion-is-the-basis-of-every-law-in-the-universe-human-or-divine-a/) [James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [My favorite thing about being a mom is just what a better person it makes you on a daily basis,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-barrymore/my-favorite-thing-about-being-a-mom-is-just-what-a-better-person-it/) [Drew Barrymore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-barrymore/) > [We have committed ourselves to pursue joint policies, but then national governments say, "We aren't bound by that." That is a dramatic situation, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/we-have-committed-ourselves-to-pursue-joint-policies-but-then/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) [Browse all 2,701 Bases quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bases/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "American views today are weak, confused, and divided. On one side, many progressive liberals still think that we humans are essentially good and getting better and better. On the other side, many postmoderns actually think it is worse to judge evil than to do evil. And in the middle, many ordinary folk plaster life with rainbows and smile buttons and wander through life on the basis of sentiment and clichés.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Os Guinness" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/american-views-today-are-weak-confused-and-divided-on-one-side-many/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bases" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/american-views-today-are-weak-confused-and-divided-on-one-side-many/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/os-guinness-6581_bases_american-views-today-are-weak-confused-a_59443.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/os-guinness-6581_bases_american-views-today-are-weak-confused-a_59443.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/os-guinness-6581_bases_american-views-today-are-weak-confused-a_59443.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“American views today are weak, confused, and divided. On one side, many progressive liberals still think…” — Os Guinness", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Os Guinness", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/os-guinness/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "American views today are weak, confused,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/american-views-today-are-weak-confused-and-divided-on-one-side-many/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/os-guinness/american-views-today-are-weak-confused-and-divided-on-one-side-many/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```