Rating
8/10
Editor’s Note
A reflective, well-argued vision of American politics and unity, blending personal history with policy ideas. Thoughtful rather than fiery- a more meditation than a manifesto.
Listening Link
The Only Hope
‘The Audacity of Hope’ is the book of the former US President Barack Obama. Where he analyzes the collective spirit and the American dream. Written and published (2006) in an era when the American society were facing myriad of problems, political, social, economic, and military, too. Obama words and ideas echoes these problems trying to kindle a ray of hope and good days in their hearts.
Let’s Read!!!
Obama’s belief for the progression was unity and values acceptable to all strata of society. A civil, responsible, American society would achieve their aspirations and ideals if they follow the idea of An All Inclusive America. That is giving opportunity and space to all its citizens. This is the only way of rebuilding the American Dream.
The American Dream
The American society and their American dream are synonymous with each other. They believes on the economic uplift of an individual, which further includes in itself a livable house, and access to education. Contrastingly, this notion of the American dreaming has undergone a sea change in recent times due to socio-political, and economic roller coastering.
Obama challenges the very fundamentals of this American Dream. The American Dream is not about one personal economic development or achievement but of a whole society.
Where all from Top to Bottom find space and opportunity for themselves. The author points that many marginalized groups of the American society feel that they are thrown away from the society due to the organized socio-political barriers. And that American Dream are nothing for them but an unattainable and a dampening deal having nothing for them!!!
A Personal Narrative
Obama brought up is a symbol of American multiculturalism. A child of a Kenyan father and American mother, he felt in his childhood the diversity of culture which later shaped his ideals and beliefs.
His education in the Harvard Law School and his role as the first African American President of the Harvard Law Review symbolized not only a personal success for him but also what the belittle strata of the American society could achieve thus contributing more to American success than to theirs.
From a community organizer to the US senate, he himself felt and saw systematic barriers that prevent a common American from getting his American Dream. This could only be overcome through hope and collective action. Hope and Collective Efforts are the two conjoined forces which only brings success and growth in the society….
A Hopeful Leadership
A tansformative leader is the one who focuses on the collective goals of his society for their socio-economic and political growth. This transformative leadership is not possible with out the power of hope. Hope is the driving force of this leading egine which instills a sense of purpose amonh all the groups and classes of a society . And no one feels isolated and left over. Obama political theory is indeed the political theory of hope!!!
Also Read
An interesting and less pointed element ofthe Obama politics of hope is their proactive behavior where one does not look to anybody else for their problem solution but they act actively and with a responsibility for their problem-solutions. His hopeful politics in a sense are the psychology of motivation!!
Challenges inside America
The American society once social mobility and American Dream were its hallmark is now unknowingly divided bewteen the haves and haves not. This cost all. Individual finds no ray of hope to escape from it. While the scoiety face the dangers of istability, crimes, and alienation due to this division.
The political division in the masses are futher causing danger. This political division or polarization often shadow the main issues and discourses of the society which it faces. These political polarization are hard and ideological one making development and flexiblity impossible both in society and politics.
The growing disillusionment in the people is rifting the very fabric of the American society. This apathy, disengagement, or alienation whatever one chooses to call it is crumbling the American masses belief on thier political system once they eulogized it for its inclusivity. The American dream has become a nightmare for them.
Unity and Civic Engagement
The American Dream colud only be rebuild through the unity of shared values plus with the civic engagement of the society. Individuals are no more individuals but are they become a collective force of a society cooperating and working together for change in their society. The civic emgagement whether thay may be in any form, voting, electioneering, volunteering, or raising social issues, all have their own share of contribution and change in the society.
The unity in action in a society is at best at the grassroot level. The local, communal, or regional issues are addressed that have their results both at regional and national level. This primary level of activism is the driving force of democracy making the locals as very special and powerful in the national level paradigm!!!
Community Power
A resilient society is the epitome of support, aspiration, and creation driving the individuals to struggle and achieve their dreams. With these elements no society can flourish. They are like change-ideas-generator giving out force to both individual and society to act proactively for the growth and development of their society. These persons in society act and move like a chain driving and lifting not only them but also their society as a whole. This bonding force become even more strong and unbreakable in socioeconomic, political, or military crises. The hard times, all society has to go in some phase of their life!!!
Imagining a Better Future
Obama stresses for the transformative policies that would resovle the systemic barriers hindering many individuals from achieving their American Dream. This forgotten ideal of the American life could be resuscitated only through the social justice. When all starta of the society find ample space and opportunities for themselves for building the ideal mansion of their life they desired, then only the American Dream realization is possible.
The economic and social reforms are the only way out for this solution. When there is economic draw down in the society, it affects all but the punch of it is felt more severely by the weak and marginalized communities. That is the reason why the most primary focus should be on the economic refoms that will foster political and social reforms within itself. It would in turn make an all conclusive and developing American society for the coming generations.
Action Needed
This work prompts not only the Americans but also overall its readers who may belong to any country or race to ba an active an participant in the shaping and restructuring of their future. As passivity would bring a loss not only to them but to their coming generations as well.
The connections—- whether it be of any sort, communal, individual, or lingual—– it must not be used for further division oe fabrication of the society. Instead of it, it should be used to understand each other problems and strive collectively for these problems resolution.
The struggle for a better America and American Dream is not doubt focused on the American society only. But the philosophy and hope it gives is not confined to Americans only. All its readers who may be of any country, race, or sociopolitical setup learn from it for making a better society of theirs…..
FAQ on this Memoir
When the book, the Audacity of Hope, published?
Published in 2006 in an era when the American society were facing myriad of problems
Obama brought up represents what aspect of the American society?
Obama brought up is a symbol of American multiculturalism.
Who was the first African American President of the Harvard Law Review?
Barack Obama was the first African American President of the Harvard Law Review.
What is the other name of Obama political theory?
Obama political theory is indeed the political theory of hope.
What Obama deeply felt wrong in the American society?
He himself felt and saw systematic barriers that prevent a common American from getting his American Dream.
