People Just Live Their Lives - Have people just given up?

INTRODUCTION:

Thanks to all who send me emails enjoying my MAy video blog post. The dilemmas we face often don't always require complicated solutions. We are now getting close to entering the summer months. Traditionally, over the past few years, the summer months have led to quite a bit of social unrest. Will this year be any better? Somehow, I fear it will not, and maybe be worse than others. Do you think that is a bleak view?

That is why I choose this topic to write about this week. I receive many comments on my social media posts stating, "Bring back the old days." Or "It wasn't like this years ago." Truthfully, it was not. Most often wonder why that is. Certainly, we cannot blame our first amendment right to freedom of speech, just as we can't blame a pencil for the words it writes.

We have become a society that places blames inanimate objects for our problems when the fault lies with the people. Inanimate objects are just a tool. Like any tool, how it is used makes it productive or destructive.

WE'VE ALL HEARD THIS:

So maybe I am a dinosaur. However, like many, I grew up during times when no one HAD to lock their doors. As crazy as it sounds, we knew when it was time to be home based on when the street lights came on. People helped their neighbors, not turn away from them. Families were closer. Maybe they even argued more, but it wasn't personal. People trusted one another. If you went into a store and forgot your money at home, you were told to drop it off later. Windows weren't boarded up on stores for fear of looting and riots.

You never heard anything about Christmas until the day after Thanksgiving. Stores were closed on holidays. People had more time to spend with their friends and family. The need to have it all didn't exist. You were happy with what you could afford and appreciated it. Men played in men's sports, and women played in women's sports. When we were children, we learned the basics in school: reading, writing, math, history, social studies, biology, gym class, and more. School boards did NOT play a role in how a child was raised. However, they were very active in the development of the child and worked closely with parents.

Sure, there was crime. There will always be crime. Always someone looking for the easy buck. But not like it is in today's society. And if you got caught, you were punished equally based on the law. Kids still got bullied and beaten up. But not murdered. It was kid stuff. Kids having fun was more about being mischievous rather than destructive. Kids were punished by their parents and had detention at school. There was discipline, morals, values, and respect.

However, there were downsides. People with different thoughts and ideas on the way they wanted to live had to keep their views hidden. They were not accepted by society otherwise. People were more closed-minded about progressive thinking. People were very stuck in their ways. This led to a form of rebellion in some children as teenagers. Over time, this rebellious activity has gotten out of hand and turned into what we see in today's society. VIOLENCE.

There is no time in our country's history when society or people were perfect, politicians were perfect, or the laws were perfect. Why? Because NOTHING IN LIFE IS PERFECT.

WHAT HAVE WE TURNED INTO?:

Everyone watches the news. This is where we hear the most ungodly and tragic news available. This is where we hear, day after day, month after month, and year after year, how the world has turned to crap. Mostly, it's true. I do not blame the news media for what society does. I think they tend to publicize some things too much, which can cause mentally disturbed individuals to get bad ideas. The good things to report are only mentioned once or twice. Therefore, they quickly lose their meaning compared to the bad things publicized for days and weeks. How can the good compete with evil?

People get so tired of hearing bad news that they do not want to hear it and live their lives. They believe it will never happen to them. BIG MISTAKE. We have turned into a society that worries only about ourselves because we feel that most of what we hear on the news doesn't affect our lives. What society doesn't realize is the increase in crime, murders, riots, and social issues do affect your life. Turning a blind eye to it DOES NOT MAKE IT GO AWAY. It never has.

ARE WE A SOCIETY IN CRISIS?

I guess that depends on how you define CRISIS. By definition, a crisis is a time of intense difficulty, trouble, or danger. Some people may say we are in a crisis, and others may not. In a sense, this writer believes we are. Crime is rising each year. Our economy and global standing as a country are also declining. School shootings are continuing to rise. Our justice system is a hot mess. Politically, we are the laughingstock of the world. People have had enough. So much so that society is accepting whatever is handed out to them.

People go to work each day and complain about their jobs; rather than be happy, they receive a weekly paycheck so they can pay their bills. As reported by Lending Club. As of 2023, 60% of United States Adults, including more than four in 10 high-income consumers, live paycheck to paycheck. Inflation is high, interest rates are on the rise to combat inflation, and government spending continues. Our country's education ranking is declining compared to the rest of the world. Our educational system is slipping through the cracks, and when the U.S. used to rank #1 in the world for education, we are now 14th. Of course, this number is across a broad spectrum of ages and consistently changes. However, it shows that we are missing something.

The pandemic did not help this situation. However, all these things are constantly in our faces and are probably reported by every media network. Some of which I'm sure is propaganda. However, we wonder why people throw their arms up, say I've had enough, and focus on their own lives.

IS THIS THE AMERICAN DREAM?

Somehow, I am going to go out on a limb and say that most people would agree it is not. We must ask ourselves how our youth can survive and achieve the American Dream. Take a look at this article by