How a Nation Self Destructs

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

By Harvey Lothian

....If people do not care about each other, if they have a “screw you, I got mine” attitude and are not willing to help others in need, then a nation is ready to topple at the first sign of significant stress. If people have a strong social bond, they will work together during difficult times and solve all problems....

http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article43774.htm

[Rebkeh]

1. Agreed except on one point

Even when we are socially bonded, we still need leaders. The daily grind of making a society run smoothly requires organization and since we can't have every last person caught up in every minute detail of governing, we need others to go in our stead. Doctors and farmers can't tend to their jobs - and all our needs - if they have to be at city hall every day. Teachers and builders and ... whatever your specialty ... have their own duties. We would still need representatives for the business of governing, logically they should be democratically elected. Mind you, I mean leaders, not politicians. There is a distinct difference.

Unless, of course, we are scattered into thousands of tiny villages completely independent of each other. In which case, we would not be socially bonded in any real way to begin with.

On edit: I also add that sharing resources makes everyone stronger and healthier and is better for everyone, so while the tiny village set up may be ideal for some, inter-tribal relationships are a must. You can't do that without some level of organization. Think of waterways and electricity, for example. Plumbing for one village is cost prohibitive but together, multiple communities can benefit.

[JDPriestly]

3. If we are socially bonded, the leaders that arise from our ranks will have good character and

care about the nation. We are not there at this time.

[Rebkeh]

4. We can be, it's just a matter of cultural change nt

[Proserpina]

9. Oh, yes, that's all

(shakes head sadly)

The current situation is BECAUSE of cultural change, as the culture of the past 50 years tries to cope with the machinations of the 1% bent on destroying everything generations of ordinary people have worked to achieve in

infrastructure
education
housing and community
tax structure
public health
environment
economy

and so forth.

Just about the only thing the 1% hasn't bothered to destroy is art...probably because they can buy it and lock it up away from the world, if it's good enough.

[Rebkeh]

12. It can be done

If you don't believe it can happen, that's fine. But stay out of the way of those who do.

[JDPriestly]

2. I totally agree with the author of this article.

We have not really "WON" a war since WWII -- not any big war anyway.

And the reasons for that are that first, we are persuaded by special interests to get involved in wars that don't really matter to our country or to us, and second, we are not united because we are urged by the media and some of our political leaders to care very little and even not at all about each other.

I watch families. Mine is very close. We take care of each other. We reach out to help each other. As a nation we need to get closer and take care of each other and reach out to help each other too. That's how we can be strong. That's how we can best nourish and nurture our young.

It's really quite simple. We will either do this or we will fail as a nation.

[Rebkeh]

5. +1

We have no choice, really.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

6. ...

[Proserpina]

10. A pair of pictures worth a million words!

Says it all, much better than I did.

[highprincipleswork]

7. True about a political party too.

[AZ Progressive]

8. If that is true then we are screwed. Americans trust each other lesser than ever

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/30/poll-americans-trust_n_4363884.html

These days, only one-third of Americans say most people can be trusted. Half felt that way in 1972, when the General Social Survey first asked the question.

Forty years later, a record high of nearly two-thirds say "you can't be too careful" in dealing with people.

In fact, some studies suggest it's too late for most Americans alive today to become more trusting. That research says the basis for a person's lifetime trust levels is set by his or her mid-twenties and unlikely to change, other than in some unifying crucible such as a world war.

People do get a little more trusting as they age. But beginning with the baby boomers, each generation has started off adulthood less trusting than those who came before them.

[Proserpina]

11. And not without reason, either.

Boomers were screwed repeatedly, since about 1960 onwards.