How did our society become so terrible?

Question

How did our society become so terrible?
How did we get to the point where we glorify laziness, ignorance, drunkenness, stupidity, no work ethic, getting “high”, cheating and a lifestyle that revolves around the rationalization “if it feels good do it?”
How did we get to the point where college kids, the people who are supposedly trying to be come “enlightened” and “educated” mainly care about drinking, partying, and tricking women into sleeping with them?
How did we get to the point where this behavior became the “norm” instead this behavior being considered completely selfish, stupid, and pathetic?
How did we get to the point where kids that cheat are considering “cool” for finding a way around the system while kids who actually work hard and study and learn are considered “lame” for actually getting off there asses and doing something with their lives?

Answer 1

Historically we aren't doing so bad (domestically, anyway). What about when only white men could vote or participate in government? What about women being legal property of their husbands? What about slavery? What about the Japanese interment camps of WWII? What about when spousal and child abuse were legally condoned? How about the loss of life and deplorable conditions of the industrial revolution? Society has not "become" terrible. It has always had its ills.

Laziness, ignorance, drunkenness, and a lack of responsibility are (and always have been) the privilege of the wealthy. People in this society have their needs met, and then some (although we certainly have share of poverty too). More people are getting a college education in this society than ever before. Children see cheating as acceptable because their parents see it as acceptable, and because they do not understand the relevance of their studies to their actual lives. People don't work hard because they don't have to, they have never had to, and they don't know what hard work is. Some people cheat because the best work they can do falls short, because they are afraid of having their best be measured against better, or because they would rather live in the moment than than seek long-term rewards. In the end, it does come back around. Those who do get off their bums reach heights the others can't imagine. And some people will learn late. And others will always find their lives lacking, but not know what is missing.

Be glad you have dreams, and be compassionate with those whose dreams won't take them very far, and whose methods will never bring more than short-term successes. Everyone's life is difficult for them. Every one of us has a long road to walk.

Answer 2

A hundred years ago people used to say practically the same thing. Everyone thinks there was some past golden age when people were more virtuous. The truth is that people today aren't really that different from the past. Yes there is a lot of laziness, dishonesty and drunkenness today. But there are also a lot of hard-working people trying to do the right thing and make the world a better place. The same can be said of any other period in history.

The great thing about these kinds of rants is that you can use them to feed into whatever political position you may hold. If you are conservative, you can blame all the bad behavior nowadays on permissive child rearing, and a lack of religious education. If you are liberal, you can blame it on capitalism run amuck, with no end to the rewards for greed, and insufficient attention to social needs by the government.

Personally, I think there are a lot of signs around that we are living near the end of a period of civilization that started around 500 years ago, at the time of the Renaissance, and is likely to end in a period of chaos, and re-shuffling of power. It's like the last days of the Roman Empire. It's no wonder that there is a lot of selfish and wild and immoral behavior in these crazy times. When this period in history ends, a new period in history will emerge. Maybe our grandchildren will live in some kind of theocratic state. Maybe there will be something like a new Middle Ages. Maybe China will end up running the world. Who knows?

Answer 3

Well because everything that is really worth something should always be hard to get in order to be satisfied. A human being is only truly satified for its work until it knows that it was done through really hard work and against everything and everybody that was not supportive. Besides if everyone in the world would be good and hard working and the best then would you really be satisfied knowing that everything you are doing is NEVER more then what is expected from you because everyone else is doing the exact same thing. So next time you see that someone is glorifying laziness and ignorance thank them because they are just making you that much more satisfied for your effort.

Answer 4

Very simple; We've gotten away from God and the Holy Bible which this country was founded on.....There was a time not very long ago that people had respect for authority. Now every one is out for theirselves and has no respect for anyone save a few. Laws are good for us. God set forth Laws to keep Peace.Seems people would rather be rebels anymore.God said in the last days Good would be Evil and Evil would be Good and that is exactly what is happening right now in this country.Just like you have written it seems that all the partying,sleeping around is what is accepted.If you dare say anything about it the liberals jump down your throat but I will keep talking about it anyway and stand up for God and his ways.They are good ways and they have made my life happy.Sincerely Jodi H.

Answer 5

I'd say it has alot to do with media and what kids are seeing nowadays and the company's who profit from the behaviors that are trying to sell the items or radio or TV shows or whatever it is the kids are seeing as cool or acceptable. I think the best way to try to battle this is to be a friend to your kids and educate them as much as possible that this is not the real world, this is call marketing and sadly so. Try to be as involved with your kids as possible, parent them but make sure to have that friendship element as well so your kids feel that what your telling them isn't preaching and kids also learn by example of role models. I agree it seems to have changed, but I also believe its up to the parents to either care and mentor the kids or let them learn by example. I'd say a combo of things that have evolved thru the years and society. I remember when french kissing (in the mid 80's) in middle school has HUGE , now it's nothing! But TV commercials are different now, TV shows are different now, clothing styles are different now and we have reality TV which glamorizes losers and so on......

Answer 6

We got to that by losing spirituality (and by this I do not mean religiosity). We have inverted the pyramid of values and now we have an ideology of "marketplace" instead of caring for each other, instead of wanting to serve.

An excellent explanation of how this happened through the last centuries and a solution to this can be found in the book SPIRIT MATTERS of Michael Lerner. I would encourage you to read it and more than that to apply what you learn there, because YOU can do soomething on your side to change what you don't like in the world.

You are not alone. I mean I am writing you from Mexico City and Michael Lerner is in san Francisco. This is global and you can do your part wherever you are.

Answer 7

We are now a society of disposables - it's easier to use disposable plates, you don't have to wash them, it's easier to throw away clothes than learn to sew or mend, lots of people go so far as to have disposable children - and that's where we really went wrong. As a parent you teach your child not to cheat, to think of others, to be polite, and to be a functioning responsible member of society. If you are a really good parent your child grows up thinking you are the nosiest person in the world, because you should know what your child is doing, no matter how much of your time it takes.

Answer 8

Good question. Society has never been great, most of the things you list unfortunately seem to be an intricate part of human nature.

If you're talking about lax morals, I blame the Second World War. Since it's conclusion, people have steadily claimed greater and greater freedom as this is what they/our fathers/grandfathers fought for.

Answer 9

When spanking kids became child abuse, everything changed, and that generation is grown now. It certainly isn't the main cause, but the effects will last for decades to come. There most definitely is a big difference between spanking and child abuse, but kids use the words "child abuse" to manipulate not only their own parents but adults in general. Short answer to your question...discipline.

Answer 10

Well society has excepted it people seem to be OK with no morals therefore they do not teach them and kids grow up with no values so until we as a community step up and stop excepting this it will never change it will only get worse.