What is the main idea in People of Paradox, by Michael Kammen?

Given the title of the book, it is not surprising that
Kammen's main idea is that Americans are a people who are made up of paradoxes.  Kammen
argues that the way we are as people is a result of the tensions that these paradoxes
have caused in our psyches.

Just to take one example of
this, we Americans, Kammen says, have hugely idealistic visions of what we should be and
what we should accomplish as a nation.  Yet, at the same time, we are very suspicious of
human nature and of the government.  These are paradoxical attitudes to hold.  Kammen
argues that paradoxes like these end up making us frustrated and angry at ourselves and
our society.

Kammen's main point, then, is that our
culture, our society, and our attitudes come from a variety of paradoxical ideas that we
believe.