We're a cruel nation all in the name of God republicans in congress.

[yardwork]

19. The stories we tell one another are not healthy.

Our national origin story is that rugged, hardworking white men were given this country by God to develop and use. The country was given to white people because we are superior, smart, and willing to work and make something of ourselves and the nation - that's the myth.

This myth is not true. In fact, Europeans stumbled on new territory, bringing diseases that wiped out most of the humans who were already here. As more Europeans came, a lot of the eastern seaboard was depopulated. It's fairly easy to "conquer" land when most of the people who lived there have died already.

Then, white people "developed" the land using Black slaves for labor. And the country grew westward because huge sections of it were sold to the U.S. by other nations that had claimed it (see above). As European immigrants poured in, the U.S. military continued to conquer people who had few resources to fight back.

To cover up this shameful history, we created a lot of myths about God giving this nation to deserving white people who did it all by own individual selves. The problem is that's not a helpful story at all. It's false; individuals didn't "build" this country. Our true accomplishments - like the U.S. Constitution - were hammered out through messy group projects. It's through group collaboration that real strength is gained.

Our myths sneer at kindness and collaboration. This is fatal. When the resources that sustain us run out we either have to adopt new myths or we're done for.