When the so-called Pilgrim fathers set sail for America it was to escape religious persecution. In fact what they were trying to leave behind was not a religious order that was more conservative, but in fact one that they considered too liberal, one which was, as they saw it, a digression from the true spirit of the Christian Bible.
It's an irony then that in the few centuries since they arrived in America hoping to create a more pious society, America with the influx of people thereafter from half a dozen European nations was transformed into the most vibrant and pluralistic cultures in history. What emerged from that heady mix of aspirations, religious denominations, dialects - in short, people - was this unique culture, free of orthodoxy, where nothing was too taboo to be challenged, where innovation not just in industry but also in culture, thrived.
Of course that picture was not without its share of blemishes. Whether it was slavery, which America condoned long after it was banned in Britain or the more inane witch hunts as witnessed the Salem witch trials, American Society had to go through its share of trials and tribulations brought about as a result of the cultural memory ingrained in its constituents - migrants from Europe. Yet what finally emerged was a society whose greatest export was probably its own liberal and distinctive culture. This spirit of cultural innovation is still going strong in America. Where else in the world would you find something like this accepted and celebrated the way this was:
However, I have a feeling that as a culture crystallizes, as a society's politicians start harping on catchphrases such as 'the American dream', "the American way", "all-American family", "American traditions", the society in question will start to resist change, as already evident in America. What was once the land of the free is now probably the most radicalized developed nation in the world. Every day we hear tales of freedom being quashed in the name of religion and security. The resurgence of conservatism is spectacular, to say the least. I think it says volumes when you note that after eight years of disastrous rule under a president who came to power more because his constituents believed that he spoke to God every day rather than any semblance of administrative, diplomatic or leadership abilities, the current president and his men despite possessing all the aforementioned qualities are running for cover under the charge of radicalized conservatives who show no restraint or consideration whatsoever in their accusations.
I believe that we need to be able to 'Mayflower' our way out of a restrictive society when we want to. Of course we don't have the luxury of a "New World" which we can set sail for at a whim. Probably in the future such an opportunity will present itself in the form of interplanetary travel and colonization. Unless we are able to Mayflower away when the time arrives, cultural innovation like in the wedding dance above will be trodden down by the relentless march of conservatism. Mayflower, conform or die!
