Have We Squandered Our Cultural Inheritance?

[Vel]

Have We Squandered Our Cultural Inheritance?
September 02, 2010 | View Comments


By Timothy Dalrymple

Believe it or not, Glenn Beck gets it.
Whatever else Beck has right or wrong -- and I confess I have never watched or listened to him much -- it seems to me that he is correctly interpreting the present moment. Which is no small matter. And, as indicated by the "Restoring Honor" held before the Lincoln Memorial last Saturday, he might even be correctly responding to it.
What does he get? Beck gets that there is a deeply and urgently felt conviction emerging organically across a broad swath of the American populace that the spectacular economic and political collapses of recent years were made possible -- even inevitable -- by a much longer Great Moral Decline. Americans' commitment to Judeo-Christian principles, secured for most by a belief in biblical authority, long served to fuel the engine and fortify the rails of our government and economy. Yet now, it is feared, that commitment is no longer powerful and pervasive enough to propel the American marketplace and constrain the excesses and abuses in private and public sectors. In the words of Dr. Alveda King: "Our material gains seem to be going the way of our moral losses."
This is not an exclusively religious concern. Even secular scholars have long recognized that America's Judeo-Christian heritage supplied a set of ideals and principles -- such as the Protestant work-ethic and strong commitments to honesty, integrity, and compassion -- that encouraged and reinforced the habits and qualities that tend to help democracies and free markets flourish.
Have We Squandered Our Cultural Inheritance?

 

[rightwinger]

What does he get? Beck gets that there is a deeply and urgently felt conviction emerging organically across a broad swath of the American populace that the spectacular economic and political collapses of recent years were made possible -- even inevitable -- by a much longer Great Moral Decline.

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

 

[loosecannon]

Judeo-Christian heritage supplied a set of ideals and principles -- such as the Protestant work-ethic and strong commitments to honesty, integrity, and compassion -- that encouraged and reinforced the habits and qualities that tend to help democracies and free markets flourish.

Dat true. Rule of law as well.

In Japan and China they have a moral code based on personal honor that probably worked better. But it too is in decay.

However many say that materialism itself destroys morality. Which is why many resist the corrupting influence of modern economies.

 

[loosecannon]

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

are you serious? Just take one look at Congress.

 

[rightwinger]

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

are you serious? Just take one look at Congress.

Sorry...doesn't answer the question

Show a period of time we have had high moral values and then show how we have had a "moral decline" since then

What moral values have declined?
Show how they impacted the economy

 

[Dick Tuck]

Good question.

We abolished slavery

We granted civil rights that can no longer be denied due to race, creed, color, gender, age, or disability

We stopped practices like child labor

We made sure that a basic education was available to all

We succeeded in keeping religion from being a factor in our public institutions

Yeah we squandered our cultural inheritance. Good riddance.

 

[Dick Tuck]

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

are you serious? Just take one look at Congress.

Good point. More minorities and woman than ever before, making that body much more a reflection of who we are as a people, rather than a body of old white men. Is that a bad thing? To me, that has made us a more moral people, and elevated our core beliefs in equality.

 

[Annie]

Traditionally morals equate not with just religion but ethics and how one should live one's life. Children were taught to think of others and such things as tone of voice, language, manners, respect, thrift, and use of time.

Adults and children and those in power in government and business sure could use those types of lessons today.

 

[Vel]

What does he get? Beck gets that there is a deeply and urgently felt conviction emerging organically across a broad swath of the American populace that the spectacular economic and political collapses of recent years were made possible -- even inevitable -- by a much longer Great Moral Decline.

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

Rightwinger.. You're welcome to spend the day chasing data as you please, but I don't choose to do so. This is an OPINION piece and one that I happen to agree with. Unlike you, I don't need a stack of data to validate my opinion to myself.

 

[Dick Tuck]

Traditionally morals equate not with just religion but ethics and how one should live one's life. Children were taught to think of others and such things as tone of voice, language, manners, respect, thrift, and use of time.

Adults and children and those in power in government and business sure could use those types of lessons today.

As ugly as our rhetoric is today, it's still a helluva lot better than it was in other periods of our history. At least our congress isn't clubbing each other with canes to the point of coma, because of a fundamental disagreement in policy. It's been a long time since a sitting vice president murdered a former treasury secretary in a duel.

 

[Dick Tuck]

What does he get? Beck gets that there is a deeply and urgently felt conviction emerging organically across a broad swath of the American populace that the spectacular economic and political collapses of recent years were made possible -- even inevitable -- by a much longer Great Moral Decline.

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

Rightwinger.. You're welcome to spend the day chasing data as you please, but I don't choose to do so. This is an OPINION piece and one that I happen to agree with. Unlike you, I don't need a stack of data to validate my opinion to myself.

So what is your baseline. To say that something is in decline, you really ought to baseline it against something. Do you really believe that we were a more moral people at other points of our history. I'd be interested to hear that argument articulated.

 

[Annie]

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

Rightwinger.. You're welcome to spend the day chasing data as you please, but I don't choose to do so. This is an OPINION piece and one that I happen to agree with. Unlike you, I don't need a stack of data to validate my opinion to myself.

So what is your baseline. To say that something is in decline, you really ought to baseline it against something. Do you really believe that we were a more moral people at other points of our history. I'd be interested to hear that argument articulated.

Within the context of their times, yes. People were more thoughtful of why they believed what they did. They took care to pass that on, both through example and actual teaching to their children. Part of the fact was that most work was done as a family, at home. No doubt it's more difficult today to spend time in actual thought of what, if anything we are passing on.

Today too, many think it's 'wrong' to indoctrinate children into any belief system. It's sort of a 'be nice' philosophy and has wrought many problems at home, school, and workplaces.

 

[Mr.Fitnah]

What does he get? Beck gets that there is a deeply and urgently felt conviction emerging organically across a broad swath of the American populace that the spectacular economic and political collapses of recent years were made possible -- even inevitable -- by a much longer Great Moral Decline.

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

That you have to ask, reveals you may be incapable of understanding.
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[Missourian]

What does he get? Beck gets that there is a deeply and urgently felt conviction emerging organically across a broad swath of the American populace that the spectacular economic and political collapses of recent years were made possible -- even inevitable -- by a much longer Great Moral Decline.

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

Do you open your eyes when you go outside?

 

[WillowTree]

If you look backward you can see the decline of our cultural value. And to me that mean each of us is a unique individual but we hang together as Americans. That's no longer true. The left elected a president who does not value this country and her culture, he refused to wear a flag pin, his wife said it took 45 years for her to find a reason for pride. he wants to burden us with a cap and trade bill for energy and will send billions of that money to Africa, he sides with Mexico over enforcing our countries laws and is suing the state of Arizona. We allowed illegals to march in protest in our streets carrying their flag over ours. we allowed the empire state building to be lit up in communist chinese red, the left bitches about Christmas every year and tries to make it a "winter holiday" while the Christians want to celebrate Christmas as the birth of Christ, but the atheists won't let that happen they spoil it every year with all their stupid arguements about when Christ was born and what a tree mean and bla bla bla When I was growing up Christmas could just be Christmas. The librul fucks in this country basically don't like this country that's why they are hell bent on changing it.

 

[Missourian]

May 17, 2010

Americans' Outlook for U.S. Morality Remains Bleak

Three-quarters say moral values in U.S. are getting worse

by Jeffrey M. Jones

PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans are three times more likely to describe the current state of moral values in the United States as "poor" than as "excellent" or "good." Americans' assessment of U.S. morality has never been positive, but the current ratings rank among the worst Gallup has measured over the past nine years.

Additionally, Gallup's annual poll on moral values, conducted May 3-6, finds 76% of Americans saying moral values in the United States are getting worse; while 14% say they are getting better. Last year saw a slight improvement in these attitudes -- with 21% saying values were getting better -- but opinion has since reverted to near 2006-2008 levels.


Americans? Outlook for U.S. Morality Remains Bleak

 

[Vel]

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

Rightwinger.. You're welcome to spend the day chasing data as you please, but I don't choose to do so. This is an OPINION piece and one that I happen to agree with. Unlike you, I don't need a stack of data to validate my opinion to myself.

So what is your baseline. To say that something is in decline, you really ought to baseline it against something. Do you really believe that we were a more moral people at other points of our history. I'd be interested to hear that argument articulated.

I'd say as a baseline you can look at our entertainment as one example. Have you watched a reality television show? The public delights in watching people just be nasty to one another. We seem to be missing more basic empathy and compassion in our everyday lives.

 

[rightwinger]

What does he get? Beck gets that there is a deeply and urgently felt conviction emerging organically across a broad swath of the American populace that the spectacular economic and political collapses of recent years were made possible -- even inevitable -- by a much longer Great Moral Decline.

Can you provide any data that there has been a Moral Decline?

If so, can you prove that it affected the economy?

Rightwinger.. You're welcome to spend the day chasing data as you please, but I don't choose to do so. This is an OPINION piece and one that I happen to agree with. Unlike you, I don't need a stack of data to validate my opinion to myself.

As I suspected..

You have nothing to base your OPINION on

Where is the moral decline? What has declined? What possible impact could it have on the economy?

Simple questions. If you have an OPINION that morality has declined, your opinion must have some basis

 

[rightwinger]

May 17, 2010

Americans' Outlook for U.S. Morality Remains Bleak

Three-quarters say moral values in U.S. are getting worse

by Jeffrey M. Jones

PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans are three times more likely to describe the current state of moral values in the United States as "poor" than as "excellent" or "good." Americans' assessment of U.S. morality has never been positive, but the current ratings rank among the worst Gallup has measured over the past nine years.

Additionally, Gallup's annual poll on moral values, conducted May 3-6, finds 76% of Americans saying moral values in the United States are getting worse; while 14% say they are getting better. Last year saw a slight improvement in these attitudes -- with 21% saying values were getting better -- but opinion has since reverted to near 2006-2008 levels.


Americans? Outlook for U.S. Morality Remains Bleak

It merely shows that Americans THINK moral values have declined without defining what moral values that may be or providing any basis of fact

 

[Dick Tuck]

Rightwinger.. You're welcome to spend the day chasing data as you please, but I don't choose to do so. This is an OPINION piece and one that I happen to agree with. Unlike you, I don't need a stack of data to validate my opinion to myself.

So what is your baseline. To say that something is in decline, you really ought to baseline it against something. Do you really believe that we were a more moral people at other points of our history. I'd be interested to hear that argument articulated.

Within the context of their times, yes. People were more thoughtful of why they believed what they did. They took care to pass that on, both through example and actual teaching to their children. Part of the fact was that most work was done as a family, at home. No doubt it's more difficult today to spend time in actual thought of what, if anything we are passing on.

No doubt our society is more complex than it was, parents would rather send their kids to college rather than having them take over the family butcher shop. People's lives are busier than ever. I don't quite buy the argument that there was a magic era where everymom was a June Ward vacuuming in pearls, and having fresh baked cookies waiting for their kids to come home. I think that's more a romantic myth than a reality.

As for passing on values to our children, I see more people attending church than ever. I see more children being raised on the notion of accepting people on the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. Perhaps it's just my liberalism, but tolerance and acceptance of others, regardless of gender, race, creed, or ethnicity is a value very high on my list of moral behavior.

Probably the only real moral decline I see in our society is our materialism. Being a '60s kind of guy, I never really bought into it. I started seeing that ethos change in the '80s, greed is good, with the start of the genxers.

Today too, many think it's 'wrong' to indoctrinate children into any belief system. It's sort of a 'be nice' philosophy and has wrought many problems at home, school, and workplaces.

I don't buy that in the slightest. If by "be nice" you mean that we are less accomodating of bullies and bigots, then so be it. If by "be nice" you mean we are less tolerant of child and spousal abuse than in the recent past, good on us! That makes our mores much more moral. Personally, I wasn't very dogmatic with my kids. I didn't feel it necessary to "indoctrinate" them. I exposed them to my beliefs, and encouraged free and open discussion about it. To me, an ethos built on dogma rather than logic is a house of cards.