In the year 2024, it seems that individualism has become king. People are focused on being the hero of their own story, so have we moved beyond the metanarrative? To begin, let me define some terms.
First off, a metanarrative is an overarching story. It is putting individual stories together to form one big story. For our context todat, that is the story of us as people. In our context, it is modern Americans. This is the American story of the American dream. A man grows up, gets an education, gets a job, gets married, buys a house and a car, has a family, works hard, retires, and plays golf. That is the steriotypical American story, repeated over and over it becomes the story of the American dream lived by the American middle class. We add the rags to riches stories, the overcomers, throw in a few heroes and we have America. We combine the stories to tell an overarching story.
The purpose of the metanarrative is to give a national identity. It shows and perpetuates an identity and culture. What does American culture look like? We get them from our stories, and the easiest examples are tv sitcoms. They are family based, from Leave it to Beaver and Father Knows Best to the Simsons, Family Guy, Even South Park has this American family structure. It all revolves around this basic narrative and function.
In the America of 2024, does that narrative still fit? We still see it, and it is repeated. We are still focused on man finding a wife with shows like The Bacholer. We are focused on achieveing the American dream, success in buisness, building wealth, having a family. We have looked at different professions, differet ideas and methods, but the same core idea. Building a family, having a career, being successful, enjoying retirement. Does that metanarrative still fit?
The question we really need to ask ourselves is one of the most elusive questions. What are we hear for? What is the purpose of man? Is this all there is, or is there more? As time passes, many are dropping the metanarrative of America because it does not fit them. It doesn't fit their desires, their lives, what is happening. Is it the story that needs to change to match society, or does society need to move back towards the story? Is there value in that life? Should it be the desire of a young man to be education, obtain a good career, a wife, a family, a home? Should a young lady strive to be a wife, mom, have a career, get involved in the community? Should we be looking for something else.
We, as a culture, need to ask the questions. Even if we can't answer it, it is time we examine the stories that have been told and the story we are telling now. In the current story making people feel a sense of purpose? Are they fulfilled? Are they happy? Are people today in a better place than they were 20 years ago? 40 years ago? For all our advancement, are we in a better place as individuals, families, and communities? Is our country where it should be? If it is, we need to change the stories to reflect it. If it is not we need to change our communities to reflect the stories that bring the best results for all of us.
