e are living through a period marked by social tension, tumultuous politics, and economic anxiety. As a number of social analysts and commentators have documented, our country's social and civic fabric has been fraying along cultural and economic lines in distressing ways. Coverage of national political issues reveals a nation bitterly divided, and a new type of tribal intolerance toward people of opposing political opinions has become pervasive, even afflicting the highest levels of some of America's most important institutions.
A more sanguine storyline, though, resides beneath the surface of the daily reporting on our social divisions. Americans of all stripes still believe in the goodness of their communities, neighbors, and institutions close to home. They still believe in the American dream, prioritize freedom and family over materialism, and have people to rely on, even if they are not as connected with others as they would like. These and other related findings emerge in the new AEI Survey on Community and Society (SCS).
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