How America Is Seen after Terrorist Attack - Book Report/Review Example

 Comparative Critical Analysis: Understanding How Gaddis and Zakaria See America After the September 11 Terrorist Attack About the Authors Gaddis is noted for his marvellous capture of history whenever he writes. He was able to write several books about the American history that shaped the understanding of many generations about the truth behind the emerging power of the country as it faces the different challenges of modernization. Meanwhile, Zakaria is a well known socialist who tries to outline the different possibilities of America being able to withstand all the challenges of the modern community. His thoughts and suggestions about modernity and how it affects the society intensely create a fine depiction of how America could be in the future. Both authors were intensely interested in seeing how America would fare after the 9/11 terrorist attack that startled the whole world. Being one of the most powerful countries in the world, the question at this point was that of the possibilities of the capability of America to withstand the criticisms and the world’s view towards the possibility that the country might not be able to recover anymore. Through researching on how the world practically views the situation and how everyone in the society has been involved in the process of American recovery, both authors tried to coin the situation in simple presentations that they think would appeal to the readers of the books which would somehow make them act towards the possibility of ensuring America’s safety and security towards the future. Through the written works of the said authors, a vivid picture as to how America stands as strong epitome of success after a deep fall that was expected to plunge the country’s defence against the attacks of terrorism, the problems of national finance and many other dilemmas occurring in the society at present. Considerably, the major oppressions and stresses that the American nation experiences today are practical sources of stress around the world, hence, presenting America’s capability of handling the issues successfully is believed by the authors to have a strong impact on the level of advancement that the whole world aims to gain with regards the successful procedures by which they try to withstand the different tests of time. About the Books America is the world and the world is America. This is the primary idea that the books of Gaddis and Zakaria aim to convey to their readers. Two separate books that captured the idea of presenting America as the mirror of the world possibilities of fighting the different effects of terrorism in the world, the books of Gaddis and Zakaria try to entice the entire community to making changes that are worth the while and are basically affective towards the fight that America has put up against the several considerations regarding terrorism attacks that not only the country itself could suffer but also involves that of the other nations around the globe. The book entitled Surprise, Security, and the American Experience (The Joanna Jackson Goldman Memorial Lectures on American Civilization and Government) written by Gaddis creates a fine description on how the American government under bush has been able to formulate ways to face the challenge of protecting not only themselves but that of the world from the possible attacks of terrorism. The call for world unity towards the emerging need for terrorism protection has been presented in this reading as a vital part of national security measures. Meanwhile, the book of Fareed Zakaria entitled The Post-American World discusses a vivid description as to how the American Government tries to survive all the different situations that the nation has to face right after the September 11 incident. Likely, problems such as national financing, budget control, unemployment, health issues and other matters that concern the entire American society, have been focused in this reading as the things making a great impact on the development of America at present. Discussing how the country fares in the competition towards success towards the tiger economies of China and India makes this particular authored writing an interesting find the gives a proper picture as to how a nation gets up from a particular failure and regains strength to pose the needed inspiration for its people to continue striving towards excellence and serving as a particular motivating matter that is ready to assist the world towards its fight for survival and success. Comparison and Contrast on Content Summary What the books of Gaddis and Zakaria contends to present is that of the fact that the society changes every day. Failures can happen anytime, but it is the capability of a fallen individual [or nation in this case] that counts. No, changes could not be avoided, but it is the way that one faces them that matters most as success depends on the process to which challenges is accepted by those affected by the said adjustments. In the readings authored by Gaddis and Zakaria, an intense presentation of how social change occurs and how modernization should be viewed to aide every individual and every nation with the willingness and motivation that they need to survive the challenges has been a particular focus of discussion. Social change is the termed used to describe a concept or an issue that affects the general society or the group of individuals sharing the same culture or values. Social change is often viewed in two aspects namely, its significant effect to the mentality and social concept and the range of the society it affects implying its sort of measurement nature. The application and actual nature of this term is variable determined by the characteristics of the change it promotes in the society namely whether beneficial or detrimental to the condition and state of the social group. In the actual perspective, social change are varies in nature where manifesting as an act of advocacy, a sort of event or action, a social behaviour, and others which all promote a change in the present or the normative state of the social condition. In the history of the development of the society, several social changes have already transformed the development of the social structure and their development course. In the past, some examples of social changes in the past are the use of contraception particularly birth control pills as related to the population and marital realm in the society, the electoral system development incorporating women as the result of the female suffragist’s action for equality, and the acceptance of the concept of homosexuality in the social structure. These social changes have caused the development of the present social community to their contemporary state in the modern period. In the present, several social change issues are still influence the social behaviour of the population namely the information technology structure which it now integrating their influence in the respective lives of the people. This in turn, has caused their presence to become a significant factor in the present state of modernity of the present social culture transforming the present society to become dependent upon the technology for their daily needs and activities. Modernization is mainly the concept in the field of social sciences describing the process of social development occurring through the system of urbanization, industrialization and other social changes that transform the lifestyles of the people. Often this concept is viewed as the product of the evolutionary pattern of the society in their development towards achieving a better approach towards their needs. Progress is the main determinant of the nature of this concept as observable in the life conditions of the people. Indeed, modernization can be observed in most critical social aspects and structure relevant to the daily activities of the population. The present state of modernization is primarily product the different stages of development that occurred in the previous periods. Each development stage produces a new standard of progress in the society wherein this respective level manifests as a better approach than the previous one in terms of the betterment of the condition of the population. Examples of the dominant modernization changes in the society are the development in the communication field in terms of contracting the regional gaps of the population, the progress in media developing the mean of transference of news and information, and the progress in the computing field as influenced by the rapid industrialization of the technology industry. On actual social structure, the concept of modernization is also dominant affecting the normative processes and approaches in each significant social system. An example of this is the modernity in the processes in the criminal justice field wherein their critical investigation has been further developed with the advancement of their facilities and technological development. Indeed, modernization brings forth the general influence of development as part of the continuous pursuit of the population towards progress. Apparently, as modernization and social change arises, the rising of the political issues among nations also makes a great intuitive procedure as to how the world should be united to face the challenges of terrorism. Advancement and development in the society could be used to make proper adjustments as to how America could present a great deal of motivation towards helping other nations in seeing their responsibility towards ensuring the security of the world from the major chances of being terrorized by ill-powered individuals and groups that intend to ruin the established “supposed peace” that is being well protected by the nations that are willing to put forth their resources to protect the welfare of the larger population of human individuals involved. Protection from terrorism is essential; no matter, seeing the needed apprehensions and changes needed to be given proper attention to in the process of aiding the nation towards pre-emptive recovery is also important. Seeing how the world fares in dealing with the challenges of modernization, it could not be denied that having the chance to deal with the issues at present as a nation would serve as a strong basis or stepping stone for the whole world to deal with the problems that come along the way. America, being the leader to all these developments, stands as a strong epitome of success for everyone to be inspired with. Perhaps this is the reason why the global economic problem has interested many nations around the globe in becoming more focused as to how America would fare in their quest for success from the said social dilemma. Overall Reaction to the Reading All in all, the authored books of Gaddis and Zakaria are basically among those wilful presentations of the American society as a success in the making. The different opinionated as well as well researched discussions in the books were directly useful in presenting the most important issues and considerations that aims to wilfully agree with the idea that America is a nation that would stand up after a failure, a strong matter that intends to show the strength of America as a nation and not just as a contained group of people trying to live in a country. Unity towards aiming for success is the key towards essential manifestation triumph over the challenges of life. Truthfully, the effectiveness of the readings presented herein are noted to have a great impact on how America faces the challenges and how the country leads the world towards triumph over the said issues of national security and national victory over challenges that faces not only a particular country but the whole world as well. Yes, with the many problems arising today, the American society aspires to become a practical source of inspiration to all, a well depicted picture of modernity and advancement that aims to better establish a fine national image that would help not only their people but that of the world as well. References: Zakaria, Fareed. (2008). The Post-American World. Harper Collins Publishing. Gaddis, John Lewis. (2005). Surprise, Security, and the American Experience (The Joanna Jackson Goldman Memorial Lectures on American Civilization and Government). Harvard University Press; 1st Paperback edition. Read More