While it can be pleasant to think that you and your household is an island, conventional wisdom and actual life experience would show that it’s simply not true. This becomes particularly visible whenever there is a major or minor election or just when the local intersection gets some slightly more complicated rule applied to it.

Someone asked “What's something current day America needs to understand?” and people shared their examples. So get comfortable as you read through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own thoughts in the comments below.

#1

We are *very* dependent on what happens in the rest of the world.

Americans seem to want to believe we can put up the walls and forget about the rest of the world. But from the temperature of the ocean to the price of semiconductors, what happens across the world affects us. Instability in countries across the world affects us. We're the world's biggest economy, everything we do has international implications and those go both ways.

We do not get to opt out. Any attempt is just surrendering control.

Image credits: GrinningPariah

#2

Russia is not a friend of Republican nor Democratic party nor the people of that matter. The goal of Russian state is to cause chaos and polarization within US. Well, this goes to anywhere in the world. Divide and conquer.

Image credits: LolSumor

#3

The importance of education.

Image credits: HippoPebo

#4

YOUR OPINIONS AND FEELINGS ARE LITERALLY NOT THE SAME AS ACTUAL ESTABLISHED FACTS.

They’re just not.

F*****g IRKS me. The pure confidence some of you have saying whatever you feel like, and believing that deserves the same platforms as actual educated experts.

Image credits: No-Consideration8862

#5

You are not temporarily embarrassed millionaires.

You are closer to being homeless than to being a millionaire.

A poor white person has more in common with a poor black person than with a rich white person.

Class solidarity above all else.

Image credits: ShaftManlike

#6

America needs to understand that empathy and open dialogue are key to bridging divides, not just picking sides.

Image credits: BellaSmith11

#7

Once freedoms are lost they are likely gone for good. A democracy is not guaranteed and is fragile. It takes checks and balances to make sure there is no overstep. Unchecked power will destroy this experiment called the United States of America.

Image credits: ehrabak

#8

Social media is not your friend.

Image credits: Jfonzy

#9

Voting in your local elections is more important than voting for president. Want that police reform? Education funding spread out? Someone in congress who wants to put on term limits? Local elections.

Image credits: Specialist-Ad-6957

#10

We are being manipulated by foreign enemies to hate each other. No other military in the world comes close to our power. China and Russia both know this, so they are using online armies to enrage us online. Sadly, it’s working and could have catastrophic consequences if our simmering fury ever boils over into widespread violence.

Image credits: mk*llham

#11

How government works. How power is divided, how rules are made and enforced, how the court system works, and how each of these institutions can be manipulated to disproportionately benefit one side or another.

Image credits: pr0crasturbatin

#12

The politicians/party you vote for are not immune to criticism. If anything, you should hold your own politicians to a higher standard. They’re supposed to represent you, not the other way around.

Image credits: MrDankSnake

#13

How to listen, and that words mean exactly what they mean not what you feel they mean.

Image credits: Volantis009

#14

Tariffs.

Image credits: Trolling_For_Peace

#15

The Metric system.

Image credits: Neurochazm

#16

Just because someone is different doesn't mean they are an enemy.

Image credits: Kyounokaze

#17

Knowledge is not elitism and not trusting experts will literally k*ll us all.

#18

Just because your government is doing it and not you, doesn’t mean you can ignore it.

Image credits: TraiditionalRedditor

#19

That those who do not learn from their history are doomed to repeat it.

Image credits: illegallysmolkate

#20

How important it is to follow the global news to understand what can hit home. For example, most economies had high inflation after covid, not just the Biden administration.

#21

That we no longer live in a country that was established for the people, by the people. It is a business, and has been run into the ground. Good luck everyone, may the odds be ever in your favor.

#22

The power of genuine empathy and open dialogue. A little more willingness to listen and to consider perspectives outside our own experiences could really help bridge divides, reduce misunderstandings, and ultimately foster stronger communities.

Image credits: Ok-Hour414

#23

Taxes.

I’m an American living in Europe for 8 years, I’m repeatedly told how nice it must be to have free schools, healthcare, transport, etc.

We have all this because we pay around 40-50% income tax & 21% sales tax where I live.

It all comes back to taxes.

(PS… most of these aren’t free, just heavily subsidized and made affordable).

Image credits: Familiar-Adeptness-7

#24

Real solutions to the most important problems are almost always slow, frustrating, complicated, long term, unsexy. By the time they have worked people aren't even happy about it because they forgot about the problem. If someone arrives with a bunch of simple satisfying solutions to all problems they're ignorant or conning you.

Image credits: GargamelLeNoir

#25

You can't vote away economic forces. The post ww2 economy is gone for very explainable reasons. Coal mining and steel plant jobs are going away for very explainable reasons. Nobody is at fault. Nobody has stolen anything. People want to vote away having to adapt to the future and this is simply not the way.

Image credits: majinspy

#26

Equality doesn’t mean someone else is getting more or special rights than you. Also that people need to mind their own business and focus on themselves instead and let people live their lives.

Image credits: aryn505

#27

That's being Christian isn't the be all end all of every Americans lives.

Image credits: phageblood

#28

That one can be against violence and still be fine with defending themselves.

Image credits: Alternative-Demand65

#29

America needs to understand that we’re more divided than ever, and listening to each other, even when we disagree, is the only way forward.

Image credits: MayaWright1

#30

It can be hard to recognize propaganda and disinformation.

Image credits: SurprisedWildebeest

#31

Other people matter too.

#32

That you need to do your research BEFORE the election, not after.

#33

Social media is designed to get you to engage with it and use it. It is not a source of news. It is a source of propaganda.

#34

History.

Image credits: ki15686

#35

The more we invest ourselves emotionally in politics the more depressed and lonely we become.

#36

Voting is important. Dedicating time out of your day to understanding the issues is important. It's also okay if you don't have time to understand everything, and it's okay if you don't vote on everything and only vote on what you do understand. But voting matters.

Image credits: lokey_convo

#37

Your identity is not found in politics.

Image credits: Sweaty_Rain_3426

#38

That their democracy is compromised.

#39

Macroeconomics.

#40

Tariffs raise consumer prices.

#41

Keeping a democracy requires work and participation, lest you would rather have no voice any longer. Apathy is going to destroy this country.

#42

The country is very big, and it has a lot of different nations and landscapes. Because of this, it would be impossible to correctly generalize about the people.

#43

You do not control the speed of traffic, traffic controls the speed of traffic. Going the speed limit in the left most lane is illegal in almost all states. Stop speed matching people too just drive behind them and swallow your pride ffs.