Morality or Meanness

I was watching a program this morning that had me thinking all day. Author, David Brooks, wrote an article for “The Atlantic”. The title pretty much says it all, “How America Got Mean”. He talks about how our value systems have changed over, chiefly the last eight years, and that the normal for today is to call people names, corruption, choosing to watch as people struggle and then laugh at their plight. Our people are divided and everything we used to identify with has given way to political identification. He ponders two questions, first, why are people so sad? Secondly, why have Americans become so mean? I’ve thought about both questions and don’t have any more answers than he does.

Something an interviewer said to him was in direct relation to the tragedy in Maui. Maui wildfires will become the largest wildfire destruction to property and human life in our history. So many questions about why. The first and most obvious is climate change, but so many scoff at this due to political alignment. With the GOP in control of the House of Representatives, it is unlikely anything will be done in the next two years. Secondly, why weren’t people warned? Many are trying to explain about communications and the speed of the fires and maybe someday we will know the truth. I hate to think that selfishness played a part in the lack of warning, but also goes to another thought. In this day and age of mass-media and internet sensational people, we see time and time again people grabbing for a phone to take a video instead of jumping in and helping with human kindness. These videos often end up on sites like YouTube as fails for the comedy of human tragedy or mishap for our viewing entertainment. I know it’s not a direct connection to meanness, but indifference speaks volumes to the lack of morality that has become so prevailing in this country and, I suppose, even the world. What happened to us? Did we all checkout when parents, teachers, clergy, and any other positions of teaching values, morality and kindness to others speech was given? It frightens me to think of a future filled with this ambivalence.

Sadness. Mental awareness. Acceptance of troubled souls and the need to be fulfilled in assuring people are more self-aware of themselves. I’m ok with this, but as with most things requiring others to accept, there is also the need by many to use it for their own selfishness without regard for the impacts to others. Suicides have been on the rise for many years. Is there a more selfish act? Are there that many more people that are sad, angry, or unsettled with life or like everything else is it just constantly thrust in our face to accept it or be dubbed mean? When I know someone is struggling with mental health issues, I want to help, but I’m also at a loss of what to do. I have learned from personal experience to be less judging and keep my mouth shut and not over-react when I’m pushed to frustration. I truly believed it was a bunch of bologna, but I accept there is a realness to it. However, we all get sad, we all deal with emotional issues, loss, tragedy, and the list goes on. But there isn’t a real need to feel like is a gateway to excuses of poor performance, lack of productivity, and the whoa-is-me syndrome. It is the users that give everything a bad name and provide for the lack of trust and empathy others might respond with.

We no longer identify ourselves by the profession we may employ, we don’t identify by the church we go to, the love of theater, music, or film. Instead, we identify through all facets of life by the political realm we have migrated to. Political standing on issues don’t hold to old party ideology, but instead hold to extremist chaos and a thirst for chaotic uprising instead of hoping for policy by our leaders who spend all of their time berating the other side and looking for some impeachable offense instead of aligning to the needs of their constituents and making the world a better place that may be here a hundred years from now. We have become voters for what we don’t want instead of hopefully casting a ballot for someone that will make a difference to all. We have leaders that give their opposers nasty nicknames and look for laughter from their rally audiences. We used to think that people who had to reduce to calling people names, were just low self-esteem people. These are the people we are supposed to look up to now.

Am I sad? I suppose so. I’m also at a loss of what to do. I would like to write about wonderful insightful things in my life. I want to write about the comedy my life seems to be. I need to feel better about my country, my people, my leaders, my clergy, and myself. I don’t want others to feel sorry for anything in my life. I feel no need for others to feel that I’m important to believe that I am. I don’t understand the perpetuation of lies and embellishments needed by some to position themselves a step above others. I don’t care who you know or who you might have met and I’m quite sure no one called on me or anyone else to solve issues when I was twenty-two any more than they call on me now, which is never. I have numerous friends that I can call on instantly for anything and they know they can of me. I love those close to me and I put their story above mine and ask them questions about themselves instead of ensuring they know I have a better story to be told in trying to top theirs. I don’t have a similar experience, but instead I want to know more about other experiences. I want people to leave me never wishing they hadn’t said something or shared something with me. I want to elevate others’ self-worth instead of mine dominating theirs. I never want to brag about anything I’ve done but I love compliments as anyone else does. I want to help others that need a hand up and not a handout. I don’t want to be mean although I have been accused of it at times in my life. I want to continue to be ambivalent when I need to. Mostly, I want to believe that this state of sadness and the societal normal of meanness is slightly less because of me. I want to continue to look for a leader that I can stand behind and not against. I would like to see a family evening spent with seventeen people enjoying each other without a second of looking at their phones even if it was to document the moment. Let’s document with our memories. I want to slow down and enjoy what is around me and the conversations we have and what life unfolds around me.

Will I? Hope is my engine. Happiness is my fuel. Betterment must be my result. My journey will be great in my own hands as I explore the life of others and relish their wonderfulness. I want to inspire in my goodness and leave a legacy that is cherished from the promise of morality and faith in my ancestral future is better than the past.