There are eleven nations in North America each with its own culture, language, foods, economy and preferences–Pepsi or Coke. We studied the nine nations of North America during college. Colin Woodard’s thinking was on my Internet home page this morning. (http://www.colinwoodard.com/americannations).

We became very aware of this when we were on the road. Material that was viewed as powerful in Madison, Wisconsin was critiqued as boring in Colorado and Montana. Country act Alabama sing, “If you play in Texas, you’d better bring a fiddle and a bow.” That is a large statement. If you hope to influence or sell in one of the eleven, you better understand the culture.

Also this morning I listened to Art of Manliness Podcast (https://www.artofmanliness.com) which is one of my favorites. The guest was Franklin Foer author of the book, World Without Mind: The Existential Threat of Big Tech. He posits that the most insidious threat to our nation is homogeneity and the primary actors are Facebook, Google and Amazon. Those three companies are becoming monopolies that could raise trust-buster Teddy Roosevelt from the grave. We assume that Facebook, Google and Amazon are businesses intending to make money. They also desire to “stitch” countries and cultures together into one thought, and one source of provisions. They have a political and cultural agenda which contradicts American individualism.

Since I was a boy in Bible Prophecy conferences, I’ve heard phrases like “One World Government.” I am wondering if this is the means by which that can happen—Mark of the Beast kind of stuff—ability to buy and sell, one mind.

I am not attributing motivation to the 3 High Tech companies. They may desire great things. I am concerned about the cost. It seems to me that we are in a battle of individualism against collectivism. I don’t want to suggest conspiracy. I am thinking about power concentrated in three entities and the consequences.

My purpose here is to call your attention to these two resources. I also want to suggest we duct tape to our mind Teddy Roosevelt’s concept of being first and foremost American. Developing the uniqueness of each “nation” and celebrating what they bring to the “United States” rather than tearing down their statues and diminishing the values they bring to us. We are, after all, The United States of America, not The One State of America.

There is no value in going to a pre-Internet, pre-iPhone world, even if we could. I invite you to listen to the Art of Manliness show and check the main points of the Eleven Nation thinking. Thanks.
©2018 D. Dean Benton dean@deanbenton.org