The State of the American Mind

When Amechi Okolo, a PhD, arrived to Purdue University in America from his native country Nigeria, he was surprised how much the real life differed from the fairy tale America created in Nigerians’ minds. Living in Nigeria, Okolo thought that America was the best place one could ever live in, and this aroused a lot of interest for him to study hard and go to this magnificent country. When he landed in America, he noted that things were entirely different. There was not a single similarity between what he imagined about America and the reality he faced. Therefore, he started to unravel some of the most perplexing, enduring and embarrassing contradictions and problems of the American history and sociology through the books (Okolo 2010). Therefore, this evoked a desire to do research on the American history, which has led to writing of the book “The State of the American Mind: Stupor and Pathetic Docility”.

“The State of the American Mind: Stupor and Pathetic Docility”, which consists of two volumes, exposes some traditional, persistent and unbelievable lies invented and historically perpetuated, reinforced and maintained by the orthodox and American gatekeepers. These lies seem to be normal today, since the Americans and the global audience accepted them as the absolute truth. For instance, there is no book in America that ever explained that there were whites among slaves, since it would be shocking to realize that not only blacks were slaves. However, the truth is that there were as many white Americans slaves as blacks. Moreover, the notion that only blacks arrived in chains after their capture is a lie. These books explain that the whites were, in fact, the first slaves, way before the blacks.

In his books, Okolo’s challenges and overthrows the classical and conventional lies that the world and America at large have been holding. The two series book challenges the globe’s view of a sanitized, utopian version of America. They explain that the slogan “America, the land of milk and honey” was a chief propaganda used by trade merchants, spirits and ship captains to kidnap Scottish, Walsh, Irish, British and other European children. The trade merchants would lure the Europeans into their ships through the promise that there was a better life in America than anywhere else in Europe. Curious Europeans would get into the ships, little knowing that they were getting themselves into traps. Once they arrived in America, the merchants would sell them as chattels in auctions, where they would serve as slaves (Okolo 2010). They would work in farm plantations for long hours, while others worked in the industries. During that time, African slavery had not begun, and only whites worked in the plantations. The books reckon that these facts are not included into the history books, which is a result of a deliberate decision to leave the facts.

The book explains that the irony of the situation is that the slogan “America the land of milk and honey” still continues to draw thousands of people from Africa and other undeveloped countries. However, when they get to America, they realize that life is very different there (Okolo 2010). They start looking for odd jobs to sustain their livelihoods. Some students, who come for studies, even drop out of universities to join cheaper community colleges. 

The books explains the way people in other countries refer to America as the land of milk and honey, and everyone wishes for an opportunity to visit America and enjoy the lives of an American dream. However, the open truth is that hard work is crucial, and it does not come in a silver platter. Many Americans find themselves sleeping in the cold for lack of shelter and have already lost their American dream. When people from across the world join America, they get shocked because of the reality of the problems facing Americans. “The State of the American Mind: Stupor and Pathetic Docility” aims to demystify all notions in order to help people understand that life in America is as difficult as in other countries. The book also prepares people psychologically so that they do not get surprised to come to America and find out that the reality is the opposite of their expectations.

The books essentially explain that England used America as their dumping site for the convicts, rejects, vagabonds, surplus and rootless populations for a long period. Moreover, this continued until America attained independence in the 1776. After America attained independence, England shifted to Australia and started dumping people there. Therefore, the books illustrate that America’s sociology and history, which teaches that Africans were the only people, captured and delivered against their will, are wrong.  Professor Amechi Okolo believes that books are selectively written to fit the audience, who, in this case, are Americans, and the world at large, who over time believed that America is full of opportunities (Okolo 2010).

To this effect, Professor Amechi Okolo challenges chancellors, school districts, principals, superintendents, professors, teachers and experts to disapprove the information that is taught to students. He insists on changing their teaching and curriculum to reflect the truth concerning American history as stated in his books.