So, I have made my case at minimum for a common vocabulary… and maybe even a way to discuss and debate individuals and their role in this society. I think it is an example of a reasonable option that we could all take. Plausible…

Possible?  I accept perhaps not.  The divisions may be just too deep.

However, there might be some cases in which there is someone so complex that what they are best known for is under debate.   I could certainly see this in the case of presidents, especially modern ones.  

In a culture as radically divided as ours, we easily could have large segments of the population who consider someone “best known” for something very differently. 

Question 2 division – should we honor what the person is best known for?

 Let’s imagine that Donald Trump managed to accomplish something extraordinary for his constituents – under his watch, Roe V. Wade was overturned by judges largely appointed by him.  First off, because our culture is so divided over abortion – about half of us would want him put on Mt. Rushmore for ending the killing of millions of children a year but about half would want him burned at the stake for the same accomplishment.  

Do we honor him? All of us? AS A COUNTRY?  I don’t think we could.  We would agree on what he was best known for, but we cannot decide to honor that achievement.

What about divisions on question 1 – what are they best known for?

However, what if he accomplished something that almost all of us would agree is a good thing?  Let’s imagine that Trump organizes peace in the Middle East between Israel, a large swath of Arab countries, and even between various Arab countries as well!  Could we put up statues honoring this?

The problem would be that there may be too many people who believe that what Trump is best known for is being Trump…

And they hate Trump.

It may be that there would be absolutely nothing Trump could accomplish that would inspire millions of Americans to think that is what he would be best known for – even begrudgingly.

The truth is that we may just be too divided as a culture right now honor anyone.  Perhaps we are just too alienated from one another to decide whether to honor people even if we could agree about what they are best known for.

Then, what?

If so, I assume that we no longer have a culture, but at least two cultures and those are now warring cultures… 

competitive cultures.

One honors what the other disdains.  

If this is true, we will not have agreement or even unity, but only winners and losers – the conquerors and the defeated.  One culture will give way to the other eventually, I assume.  Then, that dominate culture will put statues up for themselves.  

Sadly, maybe that is the pattern of human history and there isn’t any way of escape, except into our own personal tight circles of our own cultures.  It may be that the worldview storm coming is not one that our nation can fully surivive.

One great man quoted the greatest Man in a comment that seems appropriate. I would hope someone, if not me, can create a unifying way to talk about these things.

If not, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”