The patriarchal dominance hierarchy is extremely strong in the US. It's the social system we're all deeply indoctrinated into and the one that most people consciously or subconsciously subscribe to because it's the ocean we all swim in. Social stratification is what this nation was founded on, and as you have noted, was further shored up when it was demonstrated how powerful it could be. Patriarchy has an important gender component but is primarily about a social pyramid of "traditional" power. Rather than challenging the system itself, too many people look for ways to improve their lot by the metrics of the "game." We need more people to see that the game is rigged and to reject it - rather than to try to make their way within in.