The older we get the more we think about yesterday than tomorrow, and with this comes a perspective on social change—a lot of it in my lifetime.
Hi, I’m Rex Rogers and this is episode #263 of Discerning What Is Best, a podcast applying unchanging biblical principles in a rapidly changing world, and a Christian worldview to current issues and everyday life.
At the risk of sounding like an old guy, I’d say much has changed in my lifetime. But then again, now that I’m into my three-score-and-ten-decade, well, I am an old guy. Again, like an old codger, I’d say it’s sometimes challenging to get younger people, including our own kids, to understand just how much has changed, and that, in my view at least, a lot of the change has been negative in its impact. In other words, in many important ways we’re not better off than we used to be.
Think with me for a few moments about some of these changes.
Since the 1960s—when I was in grade school through high school—religious and moral philosophy in America have undergone major transformation. When I was a youth entering my teens, American society was still strongly influenced by the broadly shared Judeo-Christian values upon which the country was founded. I’ve often said I was blessed, and I do mean this, with a near idyllic smalltown Norman Rockwell childhood.
Back then, the United States was shaped by strong social norms, widespread church attendance, stable family structures, and a shared national identity influenced by the post–World War II era. Most Americans consumed the same television programs, read local newspapers, and trusted institutions such as government, schools, and churches at relatively high levels.
As I noted, church attendance was high, but more importantly, biblical morality shaped public expectations, if not everyone’s behavior, and many Americans viewed marriage, sexuality, patriotism, and family life through a traditional religious framework.
Then the 1960s and 1970s brought enormous social upheaval. The Civil Rights Movement challenged segregation and expanded legal equality for African Americans. I watched this and I think it was a good thing, and if you’ve never watched the video of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech on the Lincoln Memorial steps, Aug. 28, 1963, by all means do so. It is not only loaded with an admirable expression of right values, but it is one of the finest pieces of American oratory we’ve ever experienced.
The feminist movement reshaped expectations for women in education, work, and family life. Antiwar protests during the Vietnam era weakened trust in political leaders, while the sexual revolution loosened traditional attitudes toward marriage, sexuality, and personal behavior. Immigration reforms in 1965 also changed the demographic makeup of the country, increasing ethnic and cultural diversity over the following decades.
Moral philosophy increasingly emphasized tolerance, self-expression, autonomy, and inclusivity rather than adherence to fixed moral codes. Still—unlike the secularism that beset Europe—in the US religious faith continued to play a major role in American life, particularly in politics, charitable work, and cultural debates.
And by the time I became an undergrad, 1970-1974, Supreme Court decisions on school prayer, abortion, and other cultural issues intensified debate over the role of religion in public life. Moral authority increasingly shifted from institutions such as churches and families toward the individual conscience and personal experience, or feelings.
Over time, America also became more religiously diverse, secularism grew rapidly, especially among younger generations. And many Americans moved away from organized religion while still describing themselves as “spiritual.”
By the 1980s and 1990s, consumerism and entertainment culture became increasingly dominant. Cable television expanded media choices, while globalization connected Americans more closely to international markets and ideas. Technology began reshaping everyday life through personal computers and the internet. At the same time, political polarization deepened as Americans increasingly divided along ideological and cultural lines. American culture continued to change dramatically, moving from a more unified, traditional society toward one marked by diversity, technology, individualism, and fragmentation.
The period from 2000 to 2026 accelerated these trends. Smartphones, social media, and streaming platforms transformed communication, entertainment, and even identity formation.
Americans no longer share a common cultural experience to the extent they once had. Algorithms and online communities allowed people to live within highly customized information environments. This increased both personal freedom and social fragmentation. In my view, social media did not cause social polarization and politicization, but it certainly enabled these negative trends because social media allows people to put their unfiltered thoughts out there for global consumption without any governor or apparently without much second thought. Social media is a vast ocean of anger, frustration, angst, whining, hostility, and at times, hate.
Attitudes toward religion, gender identity, divorce, cohabitation, race, and sexuality also shifted significantly. Younger generations accepted same-sex marriage and broader LGBTQ identities, which grew rapidly. Discussions about race, immigration, nationalism, and historical memory became more intense and politically charged.
Economically, America became more knowledge- and technology-driven. Manufacturing declined while digital industries expanded. Remote work, artificial intelligence, and globalization changed how people work and interact.
In the 21st century, Muslim immigration to the United States has continued through family reunification, refugee resettlement, education, and employment opportunities. American Muslims come from many backgrounds, including the Middle East, South Asia, Africa, and increasingly from native-born converts. Compared to many European countries, Muslims in America have generally experienced higher levels of economic mobility, educational achievement, and civic participation.
Assimilation among Muslims in the United States has been mixed and varied. Many Muslim immigrants and their children have integrated into American society through schools, professional careers, business ownership, military service, and political involvement. English fluency, intergenerational adaptation, and participation in democratic institutions have helped immigrant Muslim communities become part of mainstream American life.
At the same time, some Muslims maintain strong cultural and religious separateness, especially in tightly connected immigrant communities—parallel societies. Distinct religious practices involving dress, gender roles, dietary laws, and views on sexuality can create tension with broader American social norms. In some cases, younger generations experience identity conflicts between traditional family expectations and modern American culture.
The terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, deeply affected public perceptions of Islam and individual Muslims in America. Concerns about terrorism, radicalization, and national security increased scrutiny of Muslim communities, at times unfairly, and some Muslims faced discrimination and suspicion. Meanwhile, it is a truism that most American Muslims strongly reject extremism.
The growth of Islam in America, what some call Islamization or Islamification, presents broader questions about multiculturalism, assimilation, and national identity. Public discussions increasingly focus on whether America should emphasize cultural integration around shared civic values or encourage greater preservation of distinct cultural and religious identities. The problem with maintaining distinct identities is that this is the failed multicultural approach that has not worked in Europe and it tends to magnify the pluribus at the expense of the unum. Additional debates involve free speech, religious accommodation, women’s rights, education, and the role of religion in public life. These issues reflect larger cultural tensions within an increasingly diverse American society.
Despite these many social changes, thankfully, certain American themes remained constant that we can celebrate on Memorial Day: belief in freedom, opportunity, innovation, and individual rights. From 1960 to 2026, American culture evolved from a comparatively cohesive national culture into a far more diverse, connected, contested, and rapidly changing society.
The question Americans must consider and answer correctly in this 250th year is how do we maintain the best values and key ingredients preserving a free society even as we continue to grow, become more pluralistic, and experience social change?
I still believe America’s founding values—“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness”—are essential, exceptional, and efficient for all.
Well, we’ll see you again soon. This podcast is about Discerning What Is Best.
If you find this thought-provoking and helpful, follow us on your favorite podcast platform. For more Christian commentary, see my website, r-e-x-m as in Martin, that’s rexmrogers.com, or check my YouTube channel @DrRexRogers.
And remember, it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm.
© Rex M. Rogers – All Rights Reserved, 2026
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