As Our Society Declines

I find it rather depressing to read some of the comments on newspaper articles, online videos, and social networking websites.  I have witnessed a huge decline in civility.  Paranoia, anger, hatred, and gossip have run amuck! 

It may be assumed or for a better word discerned that there is something deep rooted in the psyche of a huge segment of society, and one can only wonder how it got there.  I sometimes think that perhaps the generation of "Baby Boomers" and their off spring either grew up as latch key kids who made their own rules based on media programming or are just spoiled brats creating their own uncivilized decorum.  Whatever the reason it seems to be getting worse, and has even spilled into the behavior of our politicians and government. 

It is obvious that for centuries throughout the entire world when a civilization experiences an economic down turn there has always been an abuse of mind altering substances whether it is alcohol or drugs.  It is a well-known fact that both over long periods of abuse inhibit and destroy the rational thought process of the brain. 

When a society experiences a lack of meaningful work and low or no income, it is expected that there will be depression and desperation in an attempt to survive.  The fight or flight syndrome kicks in and some fight back others choose to flee and self-medicate.   Very often the fight syndrome is counterproductive because when there are no jobs some choose to break the law.  Just peruse the police log of the local news, thefts, and scams abound.

Just recently there was an article in the local news of my former hometown region on the growing number of homeless men.  In the comments there were many references to them being drunks.  This isn't the first time our country has experienced this dilemma.  During the Great Depression that is estimated to have begun in 1929 many husbands/fathers left home searching for work across the country and when no work could be found they became drunks in the Bowery, never to return to their home and family, buried in pauper's graves.  Also during the Great Depression because of lack of funding mental institutions could no longer stay open, and many of the mentally ill were forced to live on the streets.

This utter lack of employment, dependence on mind altering substances, and lack of proper coping skills, moral education, and proper medical attention lead to many of our society's dilemmas.  Crime, unwanted pregnancy, abortion, child abuse, parental abuse, suicide, etc. can be traced back to a society that has fallen onto very hard financial times. 

If a tooth is decayed at the root, and a dentist just fills the top to make it look good the tooth will continue to decay.  Thus any society that does not work at repairing the root of its declination will continue to decline.  It is not just our government that needs to be diligent at fixing our problems, but each and every one of us must begin with ourselves, and the children that God gave to us to raise properly with a decent set of values, and proper coping skills.  I too have made my own mistakes in the past, and work on rectifying those mistakes each day by trying my very best to be a positive role model for those who God entrusted in my care.  Life is a learning process, and we all must work hard at making this very short life something worthwhile, instead of wasting it away.