The Great Seal of the United States, Updated

I originally planned this post for tomorrow, but then realized that because I'll be working as an election officer at the primary and have to be on-site at 5:00 AM, I'd go ahead and post it now, a day early ... 

On June 20th, 1782, Congress adopted the Great Seal of the United States. The front, or obverse, side of the Great Seal looks like this ...

and the somewhat less-familiar reverse side looks like this ...

The Great Seal contains all sorts of meaningful imagery, as explained here ... 

Note that the eagle's head is turned toward the olive branch, indicating a preference for peace over war, and that he holds a scroll bearing the original national motto* - E Pluribus Unum, meaning "From Many, One." 

The reverse side of the Seal is laden with Masonic imagery and with two inscriptions: Annuit Coeptis, meaning "He (the Almighty) Has Approved Our Undertaking," and Novus Ordo Seclorum, meaning "A New Order of the Ages."

The Great Seal is colorful, meaningful, and heraldically impressive, but we are no longer living in 1782. Times have changed, and many of our national ideals have fallen far short in practice.

In a 2015 post titled Thoughts About Flags, I proposed a redesign of the American flag to incorporate symbols more meaningful to today's citizens. When I realized that tomorrow was the anniversary of the adoption of the Great Seal, I decided to attempt a redesign of the Seal more appropriate to how we have developed as a nation. Sadly, my limited artistic skills fell short of the level needed to do the job properly, and so I decided to just seek a single image that would sum up our national character as it exists today. That image is, of course, an actual SEAL ...

I think this is an appropriate replacement for the traditional Great Seal, as it incorporates the things most indicative of modern America: aggression, rugged manliness**, a fetish for the unlimited ownership and employment of powerful weaponry, the cosplay of wannabe heroes who need to pack iron for a trip to Dunkin' Donuts, a camera to record the misdeeds of those around us, a spring-loaded readiness to react to perceived limits on freedom (as individually interpreted), and a mask to hide one's identity (although not, gawd forbid, to protect us from disease). 

Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Readers, I give you the 2023 version of the Great Seal ... a sad reflection of the evolution of our national character. 

Have a good day. More thoughts coming.

Bilbo

* "E Pluribus Unum" was the original, de facto motto of the United States until July 30th, 1956, when a joint resolution of Congress established "In God We Trust" as the official national motto. 

** Not applicable to Senator Josh Hawley, despite his unintentionally comic literary aspirations.