Hope Lost in America? Not if We Cultivate Patriotism Together

Yahoo

17-05-2025

Hope is essential for a thriving society, yet only around half of Americans are hopeful for the nations future. To address this challenge, we need to cultivate a shared patriotic spirit that rises above our divisive politics.
The United States is a nation that emphasizes individual liberty, which has helped us become a flourishing country in which people are free to pursue their distinct talents and interests and reach their full potential. However, it is also important for Americans to balance their individualism with a shared positive national identity.
Humans are a tribal species, hard-wired to form and maintain group connections. While our group-oriented nature often gets a bad rap because it can sometimes fuel prejudice, discrimination, and violence, particularly when other groups are perceived as a threat, it also helps us build and maintain thriving organizations, communities, and nations. Group affiliation nurtures social trust, unites individuals around shared objectives, and provides a sense of existential meaning that comes from being a valuable member of a family, organization, or cultural group that outlasts ones own lifespan.
Thus, when approaching societal problems and goals, it is important to foster a shared national identity - a patriotic spirit that unites us across our differences.
The latest research from the Archbridge Institutes Human Flourishing Lab underscores a particular positive feature of patriotism: its relationship with hope for the future of the nation.
Hope is a crucial driver of individual and societal flourishing. Hopeful individuals are not only optimistic about the future, but also strongly believe in their ability to improve their lives. This mindset makes them more resilient when confronted with challenges and more adaptable in their strategies for overcoming obstacles and achieving their objectives. Consequently, hopeful individuals tend to excel in life, whether they are pursuing educational, professional, or athletic endeavors.
The benefits of a hopeful attitude extend beyond personal achievements. Hopeful individuals are motivated to contribute positively to their families, communities, and society as a whole, and they are more tolerant of those they disagree with - a quality that is essential for the success of a free and diverse society. Hope also supports creativity and innovative problem-solving, which contributes to the entrepreneurship and dynamism that has made America a land of opportunity.
So what does patriotism have to do with hope? When people hold a positive view of a group they belong to (known as positive group identity), they are more likely to maintain a hopeful outlook on life. A positive national group identity can thus encourage hopeful attitudes about the countrys future.
Indeed, our nationally representative survey of 2,000 American adults found that national pride - an indicator of a positive national group identity - is a strong predictor of national hope. Overall, just over half (56%) of Americans are hopeful for the future of the country. However, a striking disparity emerged when considering the role of patriotism: 64% of respondents who said they are proud to be American indicated that they are hopeful for the future of the nation, compared to just 27% of those who said they are not proud to be American.
Critically, this pattern was observed for Americans of all ages and political affiliations. Whether one is young or old, liberal or conservative, patriotism is strongly associated with hope for the future of America.
The good news is that 81% of Americans are proud to be American. The challenge, however, is that there is a large patriotism gap between younger generations of liberals, conservatives, and moderates. While over 90% of conservatives, moderates, and liberals aged 60 and above are proud to be American, younger age groups show a significant patriotism gap, with liberals expressing far less pride in their country than their conservative or moderate counterparts. Only 47% of liberals under the age of 30 are proud to be American, compared to 75% of young conservatives.
The widening patriotism gap among younger generations, especially between liberals and conservatives, poses a significant obstacle to addressing issues that affect the nations psychological, social, and economic well-being. Young American adults would be wise to learn from their elders that a love of country can transcend political differences.
Encouragingly, surveys suggest that Americans are growing tired of divisive politics and media. This offers an opportunity for leaders across all sectors of society to recognize the importance of promoting a unifying and forward-looking national narrative that inspires hope, fosters understanding across differences, and encourages citizens to collaborate towards a better future while upholding a commitment to individual liberty.
By embracing both personal freedom and national belonging, we can promote individual and societal flourishing, paving the way for a brighter future for all.
Clay Routledge is vice president of Research and director of the Human Flourishing Lab at the Archbridge Institute.