To understand the people of America, you must first understand our culture. Social Scientist and Culturalist, Ken Johnson, walks you through the various cultures, sub-cultures, and counter cultures of the worlds greatest free country.
Consectatio Homo Universalis
In today's society, academics and pundits oft belittle the idea of a polymath-run world or a polymath world view. However, any great advancement in society has come when polymaths were embraced and allowed to excel. Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Sequoia, Henry Ford, and even Nikola Tesla are all prime examples of how influential America's polymaths can be when allowed to excel. Think of all of the inventions, surveying techniques, literary practices, and diplomatic protocols that these men have given us. With a free public school system, mass television, vast libraries, and the internet -- America now has more polymaths than at any other time in its existence. We have a virtually untapped resource of innovations and meaningful long term solutions that we are deliberately blocking, and we are stigmatizing America's innovators and thinkers as "know it alls" rather than valuing their knowledge.
When we value specializations, the "big picture" is lost on the people and leaders because they cannot understand or see commonalities and the interlinking of concepts and processes. America, if it is ever to grow, must hearken back to a culture that relishes and supports the proliferation of polymaths in our society.
However, change is slow. It is therefore my job, as a culturalist, to expose people to the various aspects, cultures, sub-cultures, and counter-cultures in American society.
The following are core concepts to which I write, teach, and speak...
ALLEGORY IN LITERATURE, MUSIC, TELEVISION & FILM
Allegory is best described as the expansion of a metaphor. Just as the Grim Reaper represents death and Santa Claus represents selfless giving -- American comics, literature, music, television, electronic media, and film are rife with allegory that can have a profound subconscious, and even conscious, psycho-social impact.
Presently, I am writing about the allegory of American movie monsters. The book is anticipated to be published in the latter part of 2013.
In the meantime, please feel free to take part in a brief survey on movie monsters.
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/K2T6X7Y
CONFLICT RESOLUTION & RESTORATIVE JUSTICE STUDIES
Conflict Resolution is a generic term used to refer to any methodology that seeks to resolve disputes by way of negotiations, mediation, or other similar modality. Restorative Justice (RJ) is a generic term for Conflict Resolution practices that serve as a paradigm shift in how crime and social taboos are addressed. Circle Justice, Community Justice, Panels, etc. are all practices of RJ.
A series of forthcoming articles, e-books, and hard copy published books are anticipated to be published by the latter part of 2014. The earliest anticipated publish date for the e-books is by the middle part of 2012. These e-books will be printed in multiple languages and available to over 6,000 vendors all over the globe. Topics will incluse RJ and Conflict Resolution strategies for handling education-based crime and cultural infractions, addressing why America refuses to accept RJ as a paradigm shift to our justice system, addressing conflict in religious and non-profit settings, and a host of other applications.
OUTDOOR RECREATION CULTURE & ENHANCEMENT
This will be a series of articles that will lead up to a book being published by 2015. Most notably, the history and culture of hunting will be addressed.
CULTURAL GASTRONOMY STUDIES
This will be a series of articles that will lead up to a book being published by 2016. Most notably, the histoy, evolution, and culture of America's food will be addressed.
CULTURAL STUDIES
This will be a series of articles addressing the culture, sub-culture, and counter-culture of indigenous societies, pop culture, and other microcommunity aspects to an overall macrocommunity aspect of American culture.
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