The American Question

I’ll say it again, but the best documentaries are not the ones that lay out the problem and make accusations against one side. The best ones present the facts, offer commentary, and let you decide where you stand. The American Question goes a step further and offers hope.

The American Question presents a wealth of information, and director Kicklighter does an incredible job assembling the footage and staying on track to get his point across. The interview subjects speak out of hope, and Kicklighter challenges his subjects enough to clarify their opinions.

The documentary focuses on many of the foundations that this country was built upon. The first is community. The very nature of politics is that a community comes together and votes for elected officials who work for the community. The film also extols the virtues of community groups and social clubs. I’ll add the church to that list. The towns that survive economic hardship are the ones with a strong sense of community.

“…no matter what side you fall on, there is much to consider in how we think and react…”

Social Media has destroyed our ability to listen to one another. Communities with no access to the internet are forced to communicate face-to-face. We’ve lost the skill of active listening and elaboration, which allows people to ponder and explain how they reach their positions and conclusions.

Ultimately, The American Question asks us to fight our confirmation bias and cultural narratives from news and media.

In case you were asking, The American Question is fairly balanced. It strives to bring unity rather than blame a party or a person…though Trump doesn’t exactly come off as a saint in the end. My point is that no matter what side you fall on, there is much to consider in how we think and react to those we disagree with.

For the sake of this nation’s mental health, we need to take a step back and consider The American Question. As one expert states, unfollowing, unfriending, or cutting someone out of your life makes you part of the problem rather than the solution.