are we a shallow siociety?

Question

lately i have been thinking that we arent as close as we used to be when i watch old documentrys on tv and see averyone gathering on the streets looking for an eclipse i am wondering why arent we as close,
we judge on looks and if someone is strange we call them weird
i agree i have some sort of social phobia and everyone does now and i agree i like my space but we can still have our space and still be soiciable

Answer 1

Totally.
Katy, you know me very well, and as bad as it sounds, me, you and the two others do spend a lot of time laughing at people as they walk by OUR bench. Remember the fat family at the bus stop, the infamous Nikel and the incipid gay hitler (Lee "5 Pound on the Club floor" Deeming). They are there to be laughed at, end of!

Answer 2

I like the expression "social phobia" it does seem to sum up the way many of us living in (primarily) urban environments now feel and act. While I am not sure where you live I moved to London from the country and what is noticeable is the sheer lack of common simple interaction. Go to the country and a good morning or evening or similar courtesy immediately makes one feel part of a greater cohesive - if small - society. In London I notice fear, distrust and even outright hostility to simple pleasantries...and yet...if you perserve people do change. It takes time and it takes an enormous effort on the part of people who want, desire and even yearn fro change to common civility and a better means of livign to fight against the shallowness that has eroded the values that held small communities together. Celebrities and selfishness and a sense of me first are terrible things to aspire to and unfortunately we have allowed the things that exclude others to become the dominant influences in our society. The society has become shallow but it is far from irredeemable - it just necssary to begin fighting back with please and thank you, pleasantries and random exhchanges to help overcome the barriers that we have all erected and to ensure that we all think twice before passing judgment on others, think before we believe what we are told and pause before we rush to the herd mentality of condemnation and band wagon name calling. We can change and if we have hope and the will to do it it will happen.

Answer 3

Well not just that. Look at all the advertisements, everyone's concerned simply about looking good, having the best stuff, and lots of money. No one seems to care about anything else anymore. I find that terrible. Instead of just focusing on aesthetics, people should focus on society, themselves (spirtually, intellectually, etc.) and take the focus off all the media and T.V. saying that the new stuff coming out is great, we should all get it so we'll be popular and everything will be ok. Focus more on world news and politics, and not just our fumbling because of a bad president.

Answer 4

There's nothing wrong with a bit of social phobia. In fact, as a phobia is an unreasonable fear, I don't think it actually is phobic to have a fear of society.

As we have more, we move further apart, so in an affluent society, we are doomed to be alone.

Answer 5

Yes we are shallow. Look at what we value in the media - celebrity. Who are the role models for our young children? Who do they emulate? They emulate people like Britney Spears.

Answer 6

We've become shallow in our struggles to survive financially in the U.S., putting family, friendships, recreational time, etc. on the bottom of the list.

Answer 7

Mmm, yessss - but haven't you noticed a sort of gap between 'us' as portrayed by the media, and you and your friends? I know that the majority of my acquaintances aren't shallow - how about yours?

Answer 8

I like the way you described it as social phobia, cause i have been having trouble with it. i totally agree with you.

Answer 9

definitely. everyone seems to be in it for themselves. the community feeling no longer exists...which is a real shame. peoples striving for independence and privacy have gone too far........to such an extent people think youre weird just because you say hello to them.

Answer 10

Yes we are.

2 points!