Looking around, it is obvious that many Americans are dissatisfied with the country’s current culture.
Looking at social media alone, it’s easy to see why many Americans are in a state of panic, stress and anxiety. When looking beyond social media and having real conversations with people about culture and politics, does it paint the same picture?
Criminal justice senior Nathan Padilla talked about his perspective on the current situation in the United States.
“I will say, whenever a new president comes into play, we definitely see a divide,” Padilla said.
Some students support President Donald Trump and his policies.
Plastics engineering technology sophomore Logan Patrick reflects on how he feels about Trump and his campaign manifesto, Agenda 47.
“I like that Trump is going to make the price of living more affordable,” Patrick said. “As a college student who aspires to buy a house someday, this is great news for achieving this.”
Trump’s Agenda 47 outlines his plan for America’s future, specifically highlighting economic growth, national security, immigration reform and reducing government interference to prioritize American citizens.
Other students have expressed disagreement with what President Trump and government officials are doing with their power.
Marketing senior David Carrier expressed how he feels about the United States currently.
“I don’t necessarily agree with a lot of things that are happening right now, but I’m not exactly in a place to change a lot of it right now,” Carrier said. “I’m very much an activist when I can be, very much supporting all walks of life, but I think we have a lot of stuff we need to work on as a nation together.”
There are mixed views on the current culture of the United States. While many people believe the country is better than ever, others recognize there is much room for improvement.
“I think we have a lot to work on, but there are definitely things that do make us a great place to be,” Carrier said. “I just think we have a lot of growth that we need to do still.”
Criminal justice freshman Jacob Johnson talked about how he views Trump and his policies.
“I’m not too educated on his current policies. All I know is that I’m not too keen on his whole tariff thing,” Johnson said. “That’s just something that really just bothers me a little bit.”
Trump has been imposing the idea that tariffs will be placed on imports from Canada, Mexico and China as he firmly believes the idea that increasing tariffs is a useful way to correct trade imbalances and protect US manufacturing.
It is clear that for many students, the political views in their homes when they were growing up greatly influenced the views they hold today.
Padilla reflected on the politics of the households in which he grew up.
“So divorced parents… my dad is very conservative, and my mom’s very liberal, so I actually grew up with both sides,” Padilla said.
Padilla’s situation offers a unique perspective into the complexities of politics within the family unit and how many people integrate ideas into their belief systems.
Several students cited the importance of hearing out what others have to say despite differences in opinion.
Mathematics education sophomore Mason Brook offered his take on how he was raised to view politics.
“[I was raised] conservative, but also gracious to consider other people’s views and to compare them at least before coming up with something,” Brook said.
It is not uncommon for people to ditch their associations with a political party if a new president they aren’t fond of steps into power. This is exemplified by Johnson.
“I used to be more Republican, actually,” Johnson said. “As of recently, I kind of leaned the other way because of Donald Trump and all these things he’s doing, especially this new term. He’s got me really upset.”
It can be easy for many people to feel negatively about the current state of the United States when hatred seems to engulf everything.
Brook shared a sentiment about social media and politics, acknowledging that social media may be far-fetched and taking the political atmosphere out of proportion.
“I think it’s not as polarized as it maybe initially seems,” Brook said. “It can get that way, but in general, I don’t think people are hating on each other in daily life.”
Most students, regardless of political beliefs, have stressed the importance of respect when engaging in politics.
“We have to respect that we have differences. That doesn’t mean I have to like your opinion,” Padilla said. “It doesn’t mean my opinion’s right, or your opinion’s right. I think this country needs to relearn to respect one another regardless of political beliefs.”
Despite varying beliefs, it is evident that what students value most is keeping an open mind and being able to discuss politics and culture with kindness and respect.