Is the world really on its way down, or am I just old enough now to realize its problems?

Question

I'm not phrasing this toward liberals or conservatives. Obviously each group tends to think the other is responsible for this nation and the world becoming a more politically, economically and socially dangerous place.

Personally, I feel that we are racing toward many types of widespread catastrophe. It's as much fueled by a gut feeling as it is evidence and troublesome current events.

Please indicate whether you share this sentiment, and to what degree. You may also include your political persuasions (i.e. liberal, conservative, moderate), but please leave out any politically motivated accusation for WHY the world seems to be heading in the direction that it is.

Thanks!

Answer 1

I've had the same gut feeling as you for a couple of decades. I don't feel that the world is heading in the right direction. Globally there seems to be more restrictions and more widespread violence rather than greater freedom and peace. Business leaders exert more influence than elected political leaders (which feels wrong, but maybe it's not), and there's greater wealth, but less wealth to go around (or "the rich get richer while the poor get poorer"), but these things don't explain what the problem is, they're just symptoms of some as yet undefined systemic error.
I often feel as though I'm/we're being kept in the dark about the real truths of our time. Sometimes an intelligent man shouts a truth from the mountaintop only to be ridiculed or ignored, and analysis is done to his statements until all truth is lost in a flood of rhetoric. It seems deliberate, though quite possibly it's not.
I don't often question my feelings, but I've learned to quesion everything I hear, read or see. What I seem to see is a global society that takes most things for granted and feels the "big picture" is too difficult for them to comprehend. It seems to me that we're all being set up for something quite sinister. My feeling is that it's being done deliberately, but maybe I'm wrong. People spend exponentially more time entertaining themselves than informing themselves. Even the media has learned that they have to package information as entertainment or no-one pays attention. Something bothers me about that, but I can't find one person or group to blame for it. It seems to be what the people want. Everyone seems to want a scapegoat for their problems, but for many the problems are indefinable.
As a group, mankind still seems to be behaving like a herd animal, though on an individual basis I ocassionally meet powerfully independent people who seem more evolved than those of previous generations.
What is the real problem? Why is the world still such a mess after more than 10,000 years of so-called civilization? Did the industrial revolution set us on a path of rapid change, while detaching our senses from the natural world and our minds from common sense? Have we falsely conditioned ourselves to believe that our technological advances are the equivalent of spirtual and philosophical evolution? Or are we just drowning in our own BS?
What I guess I'm trying to say is that there are too many elements to consider when trying to diagnose what exactly is wrong. Any diagnosis that is made will be disputed, analyzed, ridiculed, and ultimately forgotten when the next diagnosis is put forth. I fear that another peiod like the Dark Ages is inevitable if mankind is unable to evolve its ideas about itself and its place in the scheme of things. History shows man has had many periods of ignorance and enlighenment flowing in a nearly cyclical manner. Is this our fate? Will we spend the rest of our existence as a species going in circles? Will we continue to alternate between these two conditions and never evolve to a higher ideal, where enlightenment finally wins, and ignorance becomes a thing of the past? I'm afraid our ignorance will ultimately send us into extinction before we experience a period of such great enlightenment that we can finally and truly be civilized, and that makes me a little sad

Answer 2

Lack of accountability for ones actions. When someone does something wrong, it is always someone Else's fault, or someone else, "did it too", or "did it first". We accept that if they are doing it, then we can do it too. Our way of leveling the playing field. We let these bad behaviors erode our morality to the point that we no longer have any morality left to defend. Example: Torture of prisoners... they do it, so should we.... wrong,,, we are suppose to be the good guys.

Example: Your guy was lewd in a public restroom, well your guy got a bj in the oval office. What should have been said is that both guys are wrong and don't deserve the privilege of serving the American people.

Defending bad behavior makes you an enabler for bad behavior, and that will errode our society to the point that bad behavior is expected because we worked so hard to attain it.

Answer 3

I would suggest a historical comparison.

During the second world war, all of Europe was under siege and so was much of Asia and the middle east. 60 Million people died directly and the numbers who died indirectly and subsequently are still being argued over. Soon after that came the Cold War where the major powers of the world kept us at the brink of planetary incineration.

Were we better off then or are we now?

Answer 4

Certainly there are problems mostly the same ones that have been around for the last 6,000 years. The one problem that could really take down society as we know it is still nuclear war. It does not seem as if we have moved far from the cold war doctrine of mutually assured destruction.

Answer 5

Things have not really changed. We are dealing with the same problems since recorded history. The world is smaller now and the problems have a much bigger impact! Anyway humans are the only species that are causing their own extinction.

Answer 6

the place is all and sundry seeing she had an dependancy???? I see no longer something like that, yet in spite of that, down syndrome happens at theory. no longer something you do throughout your being pregnant would reason a toddler to have down syndrome. it is a sort of issues that are predetermined. anyhow, walk around proud. you have a proper son. you're changelled slightly greater effective than others, yet which will make you a greater proper discern. It seems such as you're doing each thing large. you're no longer the only person interior the international. do no longer blame your self. My son does no longer have down syndrome, yet he's an extremely unwell toddler. it is all I do additionally. I take him to the heart expert, the oncologist, the lung expert.... you call it i've got took him. for a protracted time I blamed myself asserting issues like "what if i might have saved them in there longer (I had twins and extra at 37 weeks) What if i did no longer smoke cigarrettes (I did for the 1st 2 months because of the fact i did no longer comprehend i replaced into pregnant, I end as quickly as i found out)... whatif i does no longer have had that a million wine cooler (back I did in the past I knew i replaced into pregnant).... however the ingredient that I discovered is his ailment isn't my fault. you will desire to stroll around which comprise your head held extreme. With my son i don't comprehend if at present replaced into going to be my final day with him, so I embody each 2d... you will desire to do the comparable. God gave you this variety of specific blessing. God by no skill delivers something you could no longer preserve. He would desire to've seen you as a definite person with this variety of extensive heart to be waiting to preserve a newborn with down syndrome. (maximum folk terminate the being pregnant while they locate that out) you're youthful.... as a count number of fact i'm too. I have been given pregnant with my twins while i replaced into 18.... you could completely try this. what variety of drugs are you addicted to easily out of curisioty? in case you ever want all and sundry to speak to be at liberty to e mail me~ Please do no longer supply up on God. He did no longer supply you this toddler to punish you what so ever. He gave you this actual toddler because of the fact he knew you should do it. You emailed me and stated that the physician stated that he replaced into the "terrific down syndrome toddler she has seen all 12 months." Have some wish.... he will study issues, perhaps slightly slower, yet he will....you do no longer see now how plenty means that little guy has!

Answer 7

just when you think it is bad it gets worst hey just keep your own nose cleen because i still believe what come around goes around keep on chuckin and turn off the news for some comedy also in the good old days people were still having family dinners and praying and sitting on the front porch instead of t. v.

Answer 8

It's aways seem to be doing it.just look back in time and you read about the same thing in the 1840's 1860's and all the way to now. the world aways seems to be heading to hell in a hand basket.But its not true it just seems that way.

Answer 9

Probably a little of both. I think if you asked people 50 years ago what they thought it would be like in the 21st century, I think a lot of them would have thought it would be a whole lot more peaceful.

Answer 10

the world will always have it's problems

I do think the older you get the more you realize them

"The More things Change The more they stay the same"