CDZ The Sickness In American Culture

[Spare_change]

Same thing the islamic thugs over in the middle east think. Christianity really is as much of a disease as islam.

Really that obtuse than you don't understand?

Sad to be you.

 

[Andylusion]

`
`
The decay that has enveloped the general US populace, has been very slow, spanning back many generations and is not so simplistic as to sum it up it's causes to just one or two reasons. The disease of self-righteous extremism, as portrayed by both the left and right, have become intransigent to a degree that neither side is rational.

I'm not sure it has been that slow and consistent.

Self-righteous extremism has always existed.

But even those who were not living rightly, or did not care as much for morals, still had a foundation they lived by.

I remember watching this video of a pimp from the 1970s. He's running a brothel. Thanksgiving roles around, and the pimp lays out a thanksgiving dinner for all the prostitutes. He stands there and says that even though he's a pimp, and they are all prostitutes, that they still need to thank the Lord for all the good things in their life.

Equally, you go back and read the lyrics of Dream On, by Aerosmith, and they read...

"Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away…" -1973

Even a drugged up, living crazy, band like Aerosmith, still acknowledges the Good Lord.

Now can you imagine anyone saying that today? Of course not. The break down of the family. The loss of all morals. The lack of any consideration of what is right or wrong (unless it affects yourself, than you know it's wrong), and failure to gain respect, or give respect...

This has all happened within the last few decades. From 1776 (and before) until the 1980s... we had this. Divorce was rare. Life had meaning. Respect and dignity was a must. Now it's all gone.

 

[Tehon]

`
`
The decay that has enveloped the general US populace, has been very slow, spanning back many generations and is not so simplistic as to sum it up it's causes to just one or two reasons. The disease of self-righteous extremism, as portrayed by both the left and right, have become intransigent to a degree that neither side is rational.

I'm not sure it has been that slow and consistent.

Self-righteous extremism has always existed.

But even those who were not living rightly, or did not care as much for morals, still had a foundation they lived by.

I remember watching this video of a pimp from the 1970s. He's running a brothel. Thanksgiving roles around, and the pimp lays out a thanksgiving dinner for all the prostitutes. He stands there and says that even though he's a pimp, and they are all prostitutes, that they still need to thank the Lord for all the good things in their life.

Equally, you go back and read the lyrics of Dream On, by Aerosmith, and they read...

"Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away…" -1973

Even a drugged up, living crazy, band like Aerosmith, still acknowledges the Good Lord.

Now can you imagine anyone saying that today? Of course not. The break down of the family. The loss of all morals. The lack of any consideration of what is right or wrong (unless it affects yourself, than you know it's wrong), and failure to gain respect, or give respect...

This has all happened within the last few decades. From 1776 (and before) until the 1980s... we had this. Divorce was rare. Life had meaning. Respect and dignity was a must. Now it's all gone.

Note that your timeline correlates to the rise of neo-liberal ideology and the assault on the American working class. It is not insignificant.

 

[ScienceRocks]

Religious people don't like the concept of freedom. Weird, how people that suppose to follow a man that helped the sick, poor and old seems to act opposite of those teaching...

Hell, these people are so full of hatred I think Jesus would be sicken at the display.

 

[Andylusion]

`
`
The decay that has enveloped the general US populace, has been very slow, spanning back many generations and is not so simplistic as to sum it up it's causes to just one or two reasons. The disease of self-righteous extremism, as portrayed by both the left and right, have become intransigent to a degree that neither side is rational.

I'm not sure it has been that slow and consistent.

Self-righteous extremism has always existed.

But even those who were not living rightly, or did not care as much for morals, still had a foundation they lived by.

I remember watching this video of a pimp from the 1970s. He's running a brothel. Thanksgiving roles around, and the pimp lays out a thanksgiving dinner for all the prostitutes. He stands there and says that even though he's a pimp, and they are all prostitutes, that they still need to thank the Lord for all the good things in their life.

Equally, you go back and read the lyrics of Dream On, by Aerosmith, and they read...

"Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away…" -1973

Even a drugged up, living crazy, band like Aerosmith, still acknowledges the Good Lord.

Now can you imagine anyone saying that today? Of course not. The break down of the family. The loss of all morals. The lack of any consideration of what is right or wrong (unless it affects yourself, than you know it's wrong), and failure to gain respect, or give respect...

This has all happened within the last few decades. From 1776 (and before) until the 1980s... we had this. Divorce was rare. Life had meaning. Respect and dignity was a must. Now it's all gone.

Note that your timeline correlates to the rise of neo-liberal ideology and the assault on the American working class. It is not insignificant.

Neo-liberal?

The 1970s were the end of free-market capitalism. Are you suggesting that we have a more free-market capitalist system today, than before the 1970s? I was suggest not. Regulations and controls on every aspect of the economy dramatically increased in the 1970s, to the 1980s.

And the "assault" on the working class, was done by those who opposed the free-market capitalist system.

Why do you think wages have not increased as quickly now, than before? I'll give you a hint.... When you raise taxes on business... where do they get that money? From paying workers less.

When you demand business cover more benefits, health care, and unemployment compensation.... where do you think they get that money? From paying people less.

That isn't the effect of Neo-liberalism. In a free market, most, if not all, employees would rather have cash than a benefit.

 

[Andylusion]

Religious people don't like the concept of freedom. Weird, how people that suppose to follow a man that helped the sick, poor and old seems to act opposite of those teaching...

Hell, these people are so full of hatred I think Jesus would be sicken at the display.

Funny, because I didn't see religious people trying to make it a school requirement to pray. I did see non-religious people demanding that religious people can't pray in school.

Who is trying to deny freedom to whom?

 

[Tehon]

`
`
The decay that has enveloped the general US populace, has been very slow, spanning back many generations and is not so simplistic as to sum it up it's causes to just one or two reasons. The disease of self-righteous extremism, as portrayed by both the left and right, have become intransigent to a degree that neither side is rational.

I'm not sure it has been that slow and consistent.

Self-righteous extremism has always existed.

But even those who were not living rightly, or did not care as much for morals, still had a foundation they lived by.

I remember watching this video of a pimp from the 1970s. He's running a brothel. Thanksgiving roles around, and the pimp lays out a thanksgiving dinner for all the prostitutes. He stands there and says that even though he's a pimp, and they are all prostitutes, that they still need to thank the Lord for all the good things in their life.

Equally, you go back and read the lyrics of Dream On, by Aerosmith, and they read...

"Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away…" -1973

Even a drugged up, living crazy, band like Aerosmith, still acknowledges the Good Lord.

Now can you imagine anyone saying that today? Of course not. The break down of the family. The loss of all morals. The lack of any consideration of what is right or wrong (unless it affects yourself, than you know it's wrong), and failure to gain respect, or give respect...

This has all happened within the last few decades. From 1776 (and before) until the 1980s... we had this. Divorce was rare. Life had meaning. Respect and dignity was a must. Now it's all gone.

Note that your timeline correlates to the rise of neo-liberal ideology and the assault on the American working class. It is not insignificant.

Neo-liberal?

The 1970s were the end of free-market capitalism. Are you suggesting that we have a more free-market capitalist system today, than before the 1970s? I was suggest not. Regulations and controls on every aspect of the economy dramatically increased in the 1970s, to the 1980s.

And the "assault" on the working class, was done by those who opposed the free-market capitalist system.

Why do you think wages have not increased as quickly now, than before? I'll give you a hint.... When you raise taxes on business... where do they get that money? From paying workers less.

When you demand business cover more benefits, health care, and unemployment compensation.... where do you think they get that money? From paying people less.

That isn't the effect of Neo-liberalism. In a free market, most, if not all, employees would rather have cash than a benefit.

I have news for you.........the corporate tax rate is lower than it was in the late 1960's. Tax on business has decreased. The other benefits to employees also predate the 70's. Doesn't seem likely that those are causes of wage stagnation, especially in light of corporate profits.

No, I'm talking GATT, NAFTA and China. Trade liberalization is what set the American worker in competition with workers in low wage countries. I'm talking the assault on trade unions. These have had a negative effect on the health of our society and correlate to your timeline.

Funny how conservatives hate liberalism as they do yet can't get enough of economic liberalism. They blame all of societies ills on liberalism yet remain oblivious to the negative effects economic liberalism has had. The one aspect that relates to the health of our society more than anything, the ability to provide for one's family. Strange.

 

[Andylusion]

`
`
The decay that has enveloped the general US populace, has been very slow, spanning back many generations and is not so simplistic as to sum it up it's causes to just one or two reasons. The disease of self-righteous extremism, as portrayed by both the left and right, have become intransigent to a degree that neither side is rational.

I'm not sure it has been that slow and consistent.

Self-righteous extremism has always existed.

But even those who were not living rightly, or did not care as much for morals, still had a foundation they lived by.

I remember watching this video of a pimp from the 1970s. He's running a brothel. Thanksgiving roles around, and the pimp lays out a thanksgiving dinner for all the prostitutes. He stands there and says that even though he's a pimp, and they are all prostitutes, that they still need to thank the Lord for all the good things in their life.

Equally, you go back and read the lyrics of Dream On, by Aerosmith, and they read...

"Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter, sing for the tears
Sing with me, just for today
Maybe tomorrow, the good lord will take you away…" -1973

Even a drugged up, living crazy, band like Aerosmith, still acknowledges the Good Lord.

Now can you imagine anyone saying that today? Of course not. The break down of the family. The loss of all morals. The lack of any consideration of what is right or wrong (unless it affects yourself, than you know it's wrong), and failure to gain respect, or give respect...

This has all happened within the last few decades. From 1776 (and before) until the 1980s... we had this. Divorce was rare. Life had meaning. Respect and dignity was a must. Now it's all gone.

Note that your timeline correlates to the rise of neo-liberal ideology and the assault on the American working class. It is not insignificant.

Neo-liberal?

The 1970s were the end of free-market capitalism. Are you suggesting that we have a more free-market capitalist system today, than before the 1970s? I was suggest not. Regulations and controls on every aspect of the economy dramatically increased in the 1970s, to the 1980s.

And the "assault" on the working class, was done by those who opposed the free-market capitalist system.

Why do you think wages have not increased as quickly now, than before? I'll give you a hint.... When you raise taxes on business... where do they get that money? From paying workers less.

When you demand business cover more benefits, health care, and unemployment compensation.... where do you think they get that money? From paying people less.

That isn't the effect of Neo-liberalism. In a free market, most, if not all, employees would rather have cash than a benefit.

I have news for you.........the corporate tax rate is lower than it was in the late 1960's. Tax on business has decreased. The other benefits to employees also predate the 70's. Doesn't seem likely that those are causes of wage stagnation, especially in light of corporate profits.

No, I'm talking GATT, NAFTA and China. Trade liberalization is what set the American worker in competition with workers in low wage countries. I'm talking the assault on trade unions. These have had a negative effect on the health of our society and correlate to your timeline.

Funny how conservatives hate liberalism as they do yet can't get enough of economic liberalism. They blame all of societies ills on liberalism yet remain oblivious to the negative effects economic liberalism has had. The one aspect that relates to the health of our society more than anything, the ability to provide for one's family. Strange.

I don't really understand your somewhat odd definition of Liberalism.

Apparently from your comments you believe that sole defining factor of socialism, and left-ideology is taxes.

Based on that false claim, you are saying that we have neo-liberalism because of one single factor... lower tax rates. While that's a cute twist of logic, it doesn't hold true...and even your single factor doesn't hold true.

Yes, corporate tax rates have fallen. But if you compare them to any of the praised socialist Utopia's around the 1st world, we still have the highest tax rate. Even France has a lower corporate tax rate. I guess that means they are a neo-liberal strong hold? Even Bernie's favorite examples of European Socialism, the nordic countries, all have lower taxes rates. Switzerland, only has an 8.5% corporate tax. Are they a bastion of neo-liberal thinking?

Quite frankly I do not at this point, know of any country with a higher corporate tax rate, that would be anything close to an example we would want to follow.

But as I said, corporate tax is not a defining factor to begin with. We are talking about all regulations and all controls on the market.

Regardless of what metric you use, the clear evidence shows that US regulations and controls on the industry are costly. And the amount of that cost has increased dramatically in the last few decades since the 1980s.

Further, lets look at wage stagnation.

Now if you look at the green dash line at the bottom showing wages and salaries, and compare that to the blue dot line showing all benefits, you can see an inverse relationship. When the benefits costs increased, wages and salaries go down. When benefits costs go down, wages and salaries go up.

The only exception to this general pattern, is when the whole economy was in recession, around 2009.

But it's pretty clear that benefits do offset wages. Which even without data and a graph, anyone with any business knowledge, or understanding of economics should grasp this intuitively.

You can see here, where the cumulative costs of regulations has dramatically increased over time.

No, I'm talking GATT, NAFTA and China. Trade liberalization is what set the American worker in competition with workers in low wage countries. I'm talking the assault on trade unions. These have had a negative effect on the health of our society and correlate to your timeline.

Now let's quickly talk about some of your other claims.

First this mythical 'assault on trade unions'. There is no assault on trade unions. The Unions have worked to destroy themselves.

The perfect example is the bankruptcy of GM and Chrysler. GM, the number one top selling manufacturer in the US, even during the worst of the recession, ended up in Bankruptcy. Even while Honda and Toyota thrived and expanded.

The primary difference being GM and Chrysler were Union, and Honda and Toyota are not.

Another example is the Steel industry. There have been a number of steel plants across the country, that under Union contract were driven out of business. However after closing, the same plant with the same equipment, is re-opened as a non-union shop, and is profitable.

Another example would be Hostess. Run by unions, the company was run into the ground, and ended in bankruptcy. Purchased by a non-union company, and opened up with a ban on hiring former union members, Hostess is not profitable and growing.

There is no super secret 'assault on unions'. Math is destroying unions. Unions drive up the cost of doing business, until the business isn't profitable, and everyone is laid off. Then the exact same plant, doing the exact same business, is reopened without suicidal union influence, and thrives. Unions are killing unions. That's all there is to it.

Now with trade and GATT, NAFTA and China.... Every single country that has engaged in protectionism, has destroyed itself. There is no example in the world, or in history, where a country closed off trade, and ended up better off.

Trade is inherently beneficial to all people. The driving force that pushed the entire world into a global depression, was a trade war and protectionism in the 1930s. World trade on a global scale, dropped to 1/3rd of it's previous high.

Yet this removal of the working people being in competition with international labor, didn't result in a Utopia, but rather a purgatory.

In truth, America has always been in competition with low-wage countries. The difference is that with regulations and minimum wage laws, domestic business isn't as competitive with low-wage labor, when for decades it was.

Moreover, even if you did ban all trade, the results would not only be devastating for the economy, but it wouldn't provide the jobs you want. Even if the Iphone was built domestically, it wouldn't be built with manual labor, like you see in China. Instead it would be built by machine. No large number of jobs would be created.

Funny how conservatives hate liberalism as they do yet can't get enough of economic liberalism. They blame all of societies ills on liberalism yet remain oblivious to the negative effects economic liberalism has had. The one aspect that relates to the health of our society more than anything, the ability to provide for one's family. Strange.

Economic Liberalism is the reason we are in the most wealthy country, with the highest standard of living in the world.

I was talking with a woman from Nepal. In Nepal, most people don't own cars. They can't afford it. Most don't own their own home. Can't afford it. Most women stay at home, and do nothing but clean and cook. Can't afford to do anything else.

I was talking to a man from Bangladesh, who had never seen a dish washer before.

I was talking with a couple from Laos, that had a Ford Excursion. They had never had a car that fit more than 4 people before, let alone luggage and pets.

The idea that people can't afford to provide for one's family in the US, is beyond false... it is flat out ridiculous. One man, working as a truck driver, with zero education, or skills of any kind, other than shifting gears, and using gas and break pedals, can earn enough money to put them in the top 1% of wage earners in the entire world.

Are you suggesting that 99% of the entire planet can't provide for one's family? That's billions on billions of people proving that claim wrong, on a daily basis.

So if they can... which they are.... then your claim is bonkers. Some of the poorest people in our country, drive cars, and have smart phones. If they can't provide for their family, how do they afford all these extras? Why are so many people on welfare obese?

The claim is simply false.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

People don't like to talk about America's culture for the same reason that a man who just had a heart attack doesn't want to discuss the double bacon cheeseburger he's eating. He knows what he's doing is killing him, but it's easier not to deal with it. We’re in the same boat.

* We treat success as an accident or a cheat while defending people who make bad decisions, who won't educate themselves or who won't work.

* We've allowed pornography to become so accessible that it's practically universally viewed, even among teenagers.

* We love victims so much that people actually fake hate crimes to claim victim status.

* We celebrate losers and deviants by giving them their own reality shows. Meanwhile, Hollywood regularly portrays businessmen, Christians and soldiers as the worst people on earth.

* More children have died because of Roe v. Wade than were killed during the Holocaust.

* Marriage is falling apart and we’re encouraging that by pushing gay marriage.

* Our universities reward Communists, terrorists and blatant anti-American sentiment with professorships. Those are the last people who should be teaching impressionable young Americans.

* There's a whole grievance industry full of people who make a living claiming to be "offended" by things.

* Religion and morality are denigrated while nihilism and immorality are considered cool.

* Legalism has superseded morality and what's "right" and "wrong" has become secondary to what's "legal" and "illegal."

* We're the greatest, most powerful, most prosperous and most virtuous nation that has ever existed and despite all of that, we obsess over our nations faults instead of our achievements.

* Americans across the spectrum are being encouraged to separate themselves off from the larger culture and nurse grievances that barely would have been given a thought a few decades ago.

Yet, we're told that we shouldn't worry about any of these things because people have always worried about our culture and things have turned out just fine. Even if that's so, have you ever considered the possibility that worrying about the culture and taking steps to keep it from getting out of hand is exactly what once kept it from going to the dogs?

John Hawkins - The Real Sickness At The Heart Of American Culture

There are many - and it appears that they exist primarily on one end of the spectrum - who refuse to see the obvious cultural decay we've experienced over the last 50 years or so. The list of clear examples is long, indeed, it's growing and deepening all the time, but they will not admit to any of them.

So the question is why this is so. We can only guess, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the people who deny this decay are the same people who are so quick to regularly attack our Constitution, our Founding Fathers, call us a racist country, call us a greedy country, on and on and on. So this is not a coincidence.

This would lead me to believe that they feel great guilt over this and are happy to see us in decline, as if we're the only country that has a mixed past. For example, you don't see them attacking Germany, and in fact point to that country as a model now and then. All they know is that we need to pay for our sins, and a decaying culture is certainly an effective, powerful and permanent way to see to that.
.

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,fuck and breed. And you pine for those times ?

 

[Mac1958]

People don't like to talk about America's culture for the same reason that a man who just had a heart attack doesn't want to discuss the double bacon cheeseburger he's eating. He knows what he's doing is killing him, but it's easier not to deal with it. We’re in the same boat.

* We treat success as an accident or a cheat while defending people who make bad decisions, who won't educate themselves or who won't work.

* We've allowed pornography to become so accessible that it's practically universally viewed, even among teenagers.

* We love victims so much that people actually fake hate crimes to claim victim status.

* We celebrate losers and deviants by giving them their own reality shows. Meanwhile, Hollywood regularly portrays businessmen, Christians and soldiers as the worst people on earth.

* More children have died because of Roe v. Wade than were killed during the Holocaust.

* Marriage is falling apart and we’re encouraging that by pushing gay marriage.

* Our universities reward Communists, terrorists and blatant anti-American sentiment with professorships. Those are the last people who should be teaching impressionable young Americans.

* There's a whole grievance industry full of people who make a living claiming to be "offended" by things.

* Religion and morality are denigrated while nihilism and immorality are considered cool.

* Legalism has superseded morality and what's "right" and "wrong" has become secondary to what's "legal" and "illegal."

* We're the greatest, most powerful, most prosperous and most virtuous nation that has ever existed and despite all of that, we obsess over our nations faults instead of our achievements.

* Americans across the spectrum are being encouraged to separate themselves off from the larger culture and nurse grievances that barely would have been given a thought a few decades ago.

Yet, we're told that we shouldn't worry about any of these things because people have always worried about our culture and things have turned out just fine. Even if that's so, have you ever considered the possibility that worrying about the culture and taking steps to keep it from getting out of hand is exactly what once kept it from going to the dogs?

John Hawkins - The Real Sickness At The Heart Of American Culture

There are many - and it appears that they exist primarily on one end of the spectrum - who refuse to see the obvious cultural decay we've experienced over the last 50 years or so. The list of clear examples is long, indeed, it's growing and deepening all the time, but they will not admit to any of them.

So the question is why this is so. We can only guess, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the people who deny this decay are the same people who are so quick to regularly attack our Constitution, our Founding Fathers, call us a racist country, call us a greedy country, on and on and on. So this is not a coincidence.

This would lead me to believe that they feel great guilt over this and are happy to see us in decline, as if we're the only country that has a mixed past. For example, you don't see them attacking Germany, and in fact point to that country as a model now and then. All they know is that we need to pay for our sins, and a decaying culture is certainly an effective, powerful and permanent way to see to that.
.

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,fuck and breed. And you pine for those times ?

No.
.

 

[Spare_change]

People don't like to talk about America's culture for the same reason that a man who just had a heart attack doesn't want to discuss the double bacon cheeseburger he's eating. He knows what he's doing is killing him, but it's easier not to deal with it. We’re in the same boat.

* We treat success as an accident or a cheat while defending people who make bad decisions, who won't educate themselves or who won't work.

* We've allowed pornography to become so accessible that it's practically universally viewed, even among teenagers.

* We love victims so much that people actually fake hate crimes to claim victim status.

* We celebrate losers and deviants by giving them their own reality shows. Meanwhile, Hollywood regularly portrays businessmen, Christians and soldiers as the worst people on earth.

* More children have died because of Roe v. Wade than were killed during the Holocaust.

* Marriage is falling apart and we’re encouraging that by pushing gay marriage.

* Our universities reward Communists, terrorists and blatant anti-American sentiment with professorships. Those are the last people who should be teaching impressionable young Americans.

* There's a whole grievance industry full of people who make a living claiming to be "offended" by things.

* Religion and morality are denigrated while nihilism and immorality are considered cool.

* Legalism has superseded morality and what's "right" and "wrong" has become secondary to what's "legal" and "illegal."

* We're the greatest, most powerful, most prosperous and most virtuous nation that has ever existed and despite all of that, we obsess over our nations faults instead of our achievements.

* Americans across the spectrum are being encouraged to separate themselves off from the larger culture and nurse grievances that barely would have been given a thought a few decades ago.

Yet, we're told that we shouldn't worry about any of these things because people have always worried about our culture and things have turned out just fine. Even if that's so, have you ever considered the possibility that worrying about the culture and taking steps to keep it from getting out of hand is exactly what once kept it from going to the dogs?

John Hawkins - The Real Sickness At The Heart Of American Culture

There are many - and it appears that they exist primarily on one end of the spectrum - who refuse to see the obvious cultural decay we've experienced over the last 50 years or so. The list of clear examples is long, indeed, it's growing and deepening all the time, but they will not admit to any of them.

So the question is why this is so. We can only guess, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the people who deny this decay are the same people who are so quick to regularly attack our Constitution, our Founding Fathers, call us a racist country, call us a greedy country, on and on and on. So this is not a coincidence.

This would lead me to believe that they feel great guilt over this and are happy to see us in decline, as if we're the only country that has a mixed past. For example, you don't see them attacking Germany, and in fact point to that country as a model now and then. All they know is that we need to pay for our sins, and a decaying culture is certainly an effective, powerful and permanent way to see to that.
.

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,fuck and breed. And you pine for those times ?

No, but I also have no desire to continue to evolve into a society of leeches, hangers-on, selfish, childish, and indolent stiffs so dependent on the government that they willingly cede their personal freedoms in exchange for government cheese.

And THOSE are the good guys ....

 

[Bob Blaylock]

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,f••• and breed. And you pine for those times ?

Once again, the left wrong shows its abject racism, by suggesting that being black is comparable to being a sick, immoral sexual pervert.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

People don't like to talk about America's culture for the same reason that a man who just had a heart attack doesn't want to discuss the double bacon cheeseburger he's eating. He knows what he's doing is killing him, but it's easier not to deal with it. We’re in the same boat.

* We treat success as an accident or a cheat while defending people who make bad decisions, who won't educate themselves or who won't work.

* We've allowed pornography to become so accessible that it's practically universally viewed, even among teenagers.

* We love victims so much that people actually fake hate crimes to claim victim status.

* We celebrate losers and deviants by giving them their own reality shows. Meanwhile, Hollywood regularly portrays businessmen, Christians and soldiers as the worst people on earth.

* More children have died because of Roe v. Wade than were killed during the Holocaust.

* Marriage is falling apart and we’re encouraging that by pushing gay marriage.

* Our universities reward Communists, terrorists and blatant anti-American sentiment with professorships. Those are the last people who should be teaching impressionable young Americans.

* There's a whole grievance industry full of people who make a living claiming to be "offended" by things.

* Religion and morality are denigrated while nihilism and immorality are considered cool.

* Legalism has superseded morality and what's "right" and "wrong" has become secondary to what's "legal" and "illegal."

* We're the greatest, most powerful, most prosperous and most virtuous nation that has ever existed and despite all of that, we obsess over our nations faults instead of our achievements.

* Americans across the spectrum are being encouraged to separate themselves off from the larger culture and nurse grievances that barely would have been given a thought a few decades ago.

Yet, we're told that we shouldn't worry about any of these things because people have always worried about our culture and things have turned out just fine. Even if that's so, have you ever considered the possibility that worrying about the culture and taking steps to keep it from getting out of hand is exactly what once kept it from going to the dogs?

John Hawkins - The Real Sickness At The Heart Of American Culture

There are many - and it appears that they exist primarily on one end of the spectrum - who refuse to see the obvious cultural decay we've experienced over the last 50 years or so. The list of clear examples is long, indeed, it's growing and deepening all the time, but they will not admit to any of them.

So the question is why this is so. We can only guess, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the people who deny this decay are the same people who are so quick to regularly attack our Constitution, our Founding Fathers, call us a racist country, call us a greedy country, on and on and on. So this is not a coincidence.

This would lead me to believe that they feel great guilt over this and are happy to see us in decline, as if we're the only country that has a mixed past. For example, you don't see them attacking Germany, and in fact point to that country as a model now and then. All they know is that we need to pay for our sins, and a decaying culture is certainly an effective, powerful and permanent way to see to that.
.

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,fuck and breed. And you pine for those times ?

No, but I also have no desire to continue to evolve into a society of leeches, hangers-on, selfish, childish, and indolent stiffs so dependent on the government that they willingly cede their personal freedoms in exchange for government cheese.

And THOSE are the good guys ....

Try reading a different paper. People are not any different now than they were in your fantasy world. Perhaps they are better.They are certainly more tolerant.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,f••• and breed. And you pine for those times ?

Once again, the left wrong shows its abject racism, by suggesting that being black is comparable to being a sick, immoral sexual pervert.

They are all just people Bob, same as you and me. It is you who places a value judgement on them.

 

[Spare_change]

People don't like to talk about America's culture for the same reason that a man who just had a heart attack doesn't want to discuss the double bacon cheeseburger he's eating. He knows what he's doing is killing him, but it's easier not to deal with it. We’re in the same boat.

* We treat success as an accident or a cheat while defending people who make bad decisions, who won't educate themselves or who won't work.

* We've allowed pornography to become so accessible that it's practically universally viewed, even among teenagers.

* We love victims so much that people actually fake hate crimes to claim victim status.

* We celebrate losers and deviants by giving them their own reality shows. Meanwhile, Hollywood regularly portrays businessmen, Christians and soldiers as the worst people on earth.

* More children have died because of Roe v. Wade than were killed during the Holocaust.

* Marriage is falling apart and we’re encouraging that by pushing gay marriage.

* Our universities reward Communists, terrorists and blatant anti-American sentiment with professorships. Those are the last people who should be teaching impressionable young Americans.

* There's a whole grievance industry full of people who make a living claiming to be "offended" by things.

* Religion and morality are denigrated while nihilism and immorality are considered cool.

* Legalism has superseded morality and what's "right" and "wrong" has become secondary to what's "legal" and "illegal."

* We're the greatest, most powerful, most prosperous and most virtuous nation that has ever existed and despite all of that, we obsess over our nations faults instead of our achievements.

* Americans across the spectrum are being encouraged to separate themselves off from the larger culture and nurse grievances that barely would have been given a thought a few decades ago.

Yet, we're told that we shouldn't worry about any of these things because people have always worried about our culture and things have turned out just fine. Even if that's so, have you ever considered the possibility that worrying about the culture and taking steps to keep it from getting out of hand is exactly what once kept it from going to the dogs?

John Hawkins - The Real Sickness At The Heart Of American Culture

There are many - and it appears that they exist primarily on one end of the spectrum - who refuse to see the obvious cultural decay we've experienced over the last 50 years or so. The list of clear examples is long, indeed, it's growing and deepening all the time, but they will not admit to any of them.

So the question is why this is so. We can only guess, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the people who deny this decay are the same people who are so quick to regularly attack our Constitution, our Founding Fathers, call us a racist country, call us a greedy country, on and on and on. So this is not a coincidence.

This would lead me to believe that they feel great guilt over this and are happy to see us in decline, as if we're the only country that has a mixed past. For example, you don't see them attacking Germany, and in fact point to that country as a model now and then. All they know is that we need to pay for our sins, and a decaying culture is certainly an effective, powerful and permanent way to see to that.
.

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,fuck and breed. And you pine for those times ?

No, but I also have no desire to continue to evolve into a society of leeches, hangers-on, selfish, childish, and indolent stiffs so dependent on the government that they willingly cede their personal freedoms in exchange for government cheese.

And THOSE are the good guys ....

Try reading a different paper. People are not any different now than they were in your fantasy world. Perhaps they are better.They are certainly more tolerant.

Let me guess ..... 17, right?

People are SIGNIFICANTLY different than they were when I grew up. You have no sense of independence, no drive for self improvement, no desire for self determination, and no consideration for your fellow man.

Tolerant? Surely, you jest .... what we have today is a generation of lip synchers who parrot everything they are told by their masters - yes, masters - and who willingly trade their humanity and their freedoms for a few free baubles. Their lack of concern for their fellow man, and their intolerance for those who believe differently, are the hallmark, not the exception, of current generations.

 

[task0778]

People don't like to talk about America's culture for the same reason that a man who just had a heart attack doesn't want to discuss the double bacon cheeseburger he's eating. He knows what he's doing is killing him, but it's easier not to deal with it. We’re in the same boat.

* We treat success as an accident or a cheat while defending people who make bad decisions, who won't educate themselves or who won't work.

* We've allowed pornography to become so accessible that it's practically universally viewed, even among teenagers.

* We love victims so much that people actually fake hate crimes to claim victim status.

* We celebrate losers and deviants by giving them their own reality shows. Meanwhile, Hollywood regularly portrays businessmen, Christians and soldiers as the worst people on earth.

* More children have died because of Roe v. Wade than were killed during the Holocaust.

* Marriage is falling apart and we’re encouraging that by pushing gay marriage.

* Our universities reward Communists, terrorists and blatant anti-American sentiment with professorships. Those are the last people who should be teaching impressionable young Americans.

* There's a whole grievance industry full of people who make a living claiming to be "offended" by things.

* Religion and morality are denigrated while nihilism and immorality are considered cool.

* Legalism has superseded morality and what's "right" and "wrong" has become secondary to what's "legal" and "illegal."

* We're the greatest, most powerful, most prosperous and most virtuous nation that has ever existed and despite all of that, we obsess over our nations faults instead of our achievements.

* Americans across the spectrum are being encouraged to separate themselves off from the larger culture and nurse grievances that barely would have been given a thought a few decades ago.

Yet, we're told that we shouldn't worry about any of these things because people have always worried about our culture and things have turned out just fine. Even if that's so, have you ever considered the possibility that worrying about the culture and taking steps to keep it from getting out of hand is exactly what once kept it from going to the dogs?

John Hawkins - The Real Sickness At The Heart Of American Culture

There are many - and it appears that they exist primarily on one end of the spectrum - who refuse to see the obvious cultural decay we've experienced over the last 50 years or so. The list of clear examples is long, indeed, it's growing and deepening all the time, but they will not admit to any of them.

So the question is why this is so. We can only guess, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the people who deny this decay are the same people who are so quick to regularly attack our Constitution, our Founding Fathers, call us a racist country, call us a greedy country, on and on and on. So this is not a coincidence.

This would lead me to believe that they feel great guilt over this and are happy to see us in decline, as if we're the only country that has a mixed past. For example, you don't see them attacking Germany, and in fact point to that country as a model now and then. All they know is that we need to pay for our sins, and a decaying culture is certainly an effective, powerful and permanent way to see to that.
.

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,fuck and breed. And you pine for those times ?

No, but I also have no desire to continue to evolve into a society of leeches, hangers-on, selfish, childish, and indolent stiffs so dependent on the government that they willingly cede their personal freedoms in exchange for government cheese.

And THOSE are the good guys ....

Try reading a different paper. People are not any different now than they were in your fantasy world. Perhaps they are better.They are certainly more tolerant.

Let me guess ..... 17, right?

People are SIGNIFICANTLY different than they were when I grew up. You have no sense of independence, no drive for self improvement, no desire for self determination, and no consideration for your fellow man.

Tolerant? Surely, you jest .... what we have today is a generation of lip synchers who parrot everything they are told by their masters - yes, masters - and who willingly trade their humanity and their freedoms for a few free baubles. Their lack of concern for their fellow man, and their intolerance for those who believe differently, are the hallmark, not the exception, of current generations.

Overstated somewhat IMHO. I wouldn't say that people have changed that much but our society has from what it was when I grew up in the 50s. Different attitudes and behaviors from what was going on then, although things like racism and sexism have changed for the better there is still a ways to go. I think it's true that there is a generation of takers who are dependent on gov't social programs, but some would rather be working somewhere if they could make a living at it. And of course many who are quite satisfied not to work, they might not be living the life of Riley but they're doing okay and not without most of the accoutrements that most of us worker bees have. But the attitude towards people who didn't work has changed, used to be you pulled your weight or you were a bum. Now it has become acceptable, and don't give me the racist crap, this isn't about color it's about the work ethic that has diminished since then. But not gone, not even close.

No consideration for your fellow man? Nonsense, every time we have a catastrophic event like Harvey or Irma there are many who show up to help those less fortunate. Doubt it not, there were lives saved by the Cajun Navy and others who came with boats and rafts and such to get people out of harm's way in Houston, and also in Florida. It happens every time.

Masters? I m sick and tired of hearing this masters crap where somebody accuses somebody else of being a brainwashed dolt who cannot or will not think for themselves. Newsflash for those who think someone else with a different point of view or opinion from your own is a stupid robot: maybe it's you who is the robot. Maybe it's you who has swallowed the party line from which ever side or faction you belong to, maybe it's your mind that is closed to any other ideas except those you have been convinced are right and anything else is a sure path to destruction. I see a lot of intolerance across this country and on the USMB from every corner. And that is a sickness that I wish we could recover from.

 

[Spare_change]

There are many - and it appears that they exist primarily on one end of the spectrum - who refuse to see the obvious cultural decay we've experienced over the last 50 years or so. The list of clear examples is long, indeed, it's growing and deepening all the time, but they will not admit to any of them.

So the question is why this is so. We can only guess, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the people who deny this decay are the same people who are so quick to regularly attack our Constitution, our Founding Fathers, call us a racist country, call us a greedy country, on and on and on. So this is not a coincidence.

This would lead me to believe that they feel great guilt over this and are happy to see us in decline, as if we're the only country that has a mixed past. For example, you don't see them attacking Germany, and in fact point to that country as a model now and then. All they know is that we need to pay for our sins, and a decaying culture is certainly an effective, powerful and permanent way to see to that.
.

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,fuck and breed. And you pine for those times ?

No, but I also have no desire to continue to evolve into a society of leeches, hangers-on, selfish, childish, and indolent stiffs so dependent on the government that they willingly cede their personal freedoms in exchange for government cheese.

And THOSE are the good guys ....

Try reading a different paper. People are not any different now than they were in your fantasy world. Perhaps they are better.They are certainly more tolerant.

Let me guess ..... 17, right?

People are SIGNIFICANTLY different than they were when I grew up. You have no sense of independence, no drive for self improvement, no desire for self determination, and no consideration for your fellow man.

Tolerant? Surely, you jest .... what we have today is a generation of lip synchers who parrot everything they are told by their masters - yes, masters - and who willingly trade their humanity and their freedoms for a few free baubles. Their lack of concern for their fellow man, and their intolerance for those who believe differently, are the hallmark, not the exception, of current generations.

Overstated somewhat IMHO. I wouldn't say that people have changed that much but our society has from what it was when I grew up in the 50s. Different attitudes and behaviors from what was going on then, although things like racism and sexism have changed for the better there is still a ways to go. I think it's true that there is a generation of takers who are dependent on gov't social programs, but some would rather be working somewhere if they could make a living at it. And of course many who are quite satisfied not to work, they might not be living the life of Riley but they're doing okay and not without most of the accoutrements that most of us worker bees have. But the attitude towards people who didn't work has changed, used to be you pulled your weight or you were a bum. Now it has become acceptable, and don't give me the racist crap, this isn't about color it's about the work ethic that has diminished since then. But not gone, not even close.

No consideration for your fellow man? Nonsense, every time we have a catastrophic event like Harvey or Irma there are many who show up to help those less fortunate. Doubt it not, there were lives saved by the Cajun Navy and others who came with boats and rafts and such to get people out of harm's way in Houston, and also in Florida. It happens every time.

Masters? I m sick and tired of hearing this masters crap where somebody accuses somebody else of being a brainwashed dolt who cannot or will not think for themselves. Newsflash for those who think someone else with a different point of view or opinion from your own is a stupid robot: maybe it's you who is the robot. Maybe it's you who has swallowed the party line from which ever side or faction you belong to, maybe it's your mind that is closed to any other ideas except those you have been convinced are right and anything else is a sure path to destruction. I see a lot of intolerance across this country and on the USMB from every corner. And that is a sickness that I wish we could recover from.

1) People over 60 were more than twice as likely as people under 30 to donate to charitable causes. Charitable giving - how does it differ by age? We see a younger generation who pays lip service to their fellow man, but ignore them when they see them in the gutter.

2) Take a look, again, at the news clips of the "Cajun Navy" - generally, middle aged to older white men.

3) How man videos have you watched that show the current younger generations watching - or worse, encouraging - abhorrent behavior against their fellow man? How much concern does Antifa, and other youth-led anti-establishment groups, show towards the owners of the buildings, or cars, or lives they destroy in an attempt to deny freedom of speech?

4) Masters - ahhh, the great trigger word - are you proposing that these generations are not being led around by the nose by leftist media and corrupt politicos who offer them free Obama phones in exchange for their votes? Those same "do-gooders" who have manipulated the transfer of responsibility for the care and feeding of 18-25 year olds from the individual to their parents? Who pays for their health insurance?

5) Do you mean to tell us that you don't believe that the government has traded goodies and baubles (whether they be free phones, free healthcare, reduced disability eligibility rules, etc., free education/indoctrination - none of which are actually free - just paid for by somebody else) in order to foster slavish commitment to government programs? Do you not believe that the youth of our country has traded their freedoms and their right to self-determination in exchange for government handouts and nanny state programs?

 

[Andylusion]

People don't like to talk about America's culture for the same reason that a man who just had a heart attack doesn't want to discuss the double bacon cheeseburger he's eating. He knows what he's doing is killing him, but it's easier not to deal with it. We’re in the same boat.

* We treat success as an accident or a cheat while defending people who make bad decisions, who won't educate themselves or who won't work.

* We've allowed pornography to become so accessible that it's practically universally viewed, even among teenagers.

* We love victims so much that people actually fake hate crimes to claim victim status.

* We celebrate losers and deviants by giving them their own reality shows. Meanwhile, Hollywood regularly portrays businessmen, Christians and soldiers as the worst people on earth.

* More children have died because of Roe v. Wade than were killed during the Holocaust.

* Marriage is falling apart and we’re encouraging that by pushing gay marriage.

* Our universities reward Communists, terrorists and blatant anti-American sentiment with professorships. Those are the last people who should be teaching impressionable young Americans.

* There's a whole grievance industry full of people who make a living claiming to be "offended" by things.

* Religion and morality are denigrated while nihilism and immorality are considered cool.

* Legalism has superseded morality and what's "right" and "wrong" has become secondary to what's "legal" and "illegal."

* We're the greatest, most powerful, most prosperous and most virtuous nation that has ever existed and despite all of that, we obsess over our nations faults instead of our achievements.

* Americans across the spectrum are being encouraged to separate themselves off from the larger culture and nurse grievances that barely would have been given a thought a few decades ago.

Yet, we're told that we shouldn't worry about any of these things because people have always worried about our culture and things have turned out just fine. Even if that's so, have you ever considered the possibility that worrying about the culture and taking steps to keep it from getting out of hand is exactly what once kept it from going to the dogs?

John Hawkins - The Real Sickness At The Heart Of American Culture

There are many - and it appears that they exist primarily on one end of the spectrum - who refuse to see the obvious cultural decay we've experienced over the last 50 years or so. The list of clear examples is long, indeed, it's growing and deepening all the time, but they will not admit to any of them.

So the question is why this is so. We can only guess, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the people who deny this decay are the same people who are so quick to regularly attack our Constitution, our Founding Fathers, call us a racist country, call us a greedy country, on and on and on. So this is not a coincidence.

This would lead me to believe that they feel great guilt over this and are happy to see us in decline, as if we're the only country that has a mixed past. For example, you don't see them attacking Germany, and in fact point to that country as a model now and then. All they know is that we need to pay for our sins, and a decaying culture is certainly an effective, powerful and permanent way to see to that.
.

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,fuck and breed. And you pine for those times ?

No, but I also have no desire to continue to evolve into a society of leeches, hangers-on, selfish, childish, and indolent stiffs so dependent on the government that they willingly cede their personal freedoms in exchange for government cheese.

And THOSE are the good guys ....

Try reading a different paper. People are not any different now than they were in your fantasy world. Perhaps they are better.They are certainly more tolerant.

They most certainly are not more tolerant. Have you not seen the news for the past .... 1 day? week? year? decade?

We are less tolerant than ever.

 

[Mac1958]

People don't like to talk about America's culture for the same reason that a man who just had a heart attack doesn't want to discuss the double bacon cheeseburger he's eating. He knows what he's doing is killing him, but it's easier not to deal with it. We’re in the same boat.

* We treat success as an accident or a cheat while defending people who make bad decisions, who won't educate themselves or who won't work.

* We've allowed pornography to become so accessible that it's practically universally viewed, even among teenagers.

* We love victims so much that people actually fake hate crimes to claim victim status.

* We celebrate losers and deviants by giving them their own reality shows. Meanwhile, Hollywood regularly portrays businessmen, Christians and soldiers as the worst people on earth.

* More children have died because of Roe v. Wade than were killed during the Holocaust.

* Marriage is falling apart and we’re encouraging that by pushing gay marriage.

* Our universities reward Communists, terrorists and blatant anti-American sentiment with professorships. Those are the last people who should be teaching impressionable young Americans.

* There's a whole grievance industry full of people who make a living claiming to be "offended" by things.

* Religion and morality are denigrated while nihilism and immorality are considered cool.

* Legalism has superseded morality and what's "right" and "wrong" has become secondary to what's "legal" and "illegal."

* We're the greatest, most powerful, most prosperous and most virtuous nation that has ever existed and despite all of that, we obsess over our nations faults instead of our achievements.

* Americans across the spectrum are being encouraged to separate themselves off from the larger culture and nurse grievances that barely would have been given a thought a few decades ago.

Yet, we're told that we shouldn't worry about any of these things because people have always worried about our culture and things have turned out just fine. Even if that's so, have you ever considered the possibility that worrying about the culture and taking steps to keep it from getting out of hand is exactly what once kept it from going to the dogs?

John Hawkins - The Real Sickness At The Heart Of American Culture

There are many - and it appears that they exist primarily on one end of the spectrum - who refuse to see the obvious cultural decay we've experienced over the last 50 years or so. The list of clear examples is long, indeed, it's growing and deepening all the time, but they will not admit to any of them.

So the question is why this is so. We can only guess, but I don't think it's a coincidence that the people who deny this decay are the same people who are so quick to regularly attack our Constitution, our Founding Fathers, call us a racist country, call us a greedy country, on and on and on. So this is not a coincidence.

This would lead me to believe that they feel great guilt over this and are happy to see us in decline, as if we're the only country that has a mixed past. For example, you don't see them attacking Germany, and in fact point to that country as a model now and then. All they know is that we need to pay for our sins, and a decaying culture is certainly an effective, powerful and permanent way to see to that.
.

50 years ago black folks had to sit at the back of the bus,gay folks had to live secret lives and women were expected to stay at home,cook,fuck and breed. And you pine for those times ?

No, but I also have no desire to continue to evolve into a society of leeches, hangers-on, selfish, childish, and indolent stiffs so dependent on the government that they willingly cede their personal freedoms in exchange for government cheese.

And THOSE are the good guys ....

Try reading a different paper. People are not any different now than they were in your fantasy world. Perhaps they are better.They are certainly more tolerant.

They most certainly are not more tolerant. Have you not seen the news for the past .... 1 day? week? year? decade?

We are less tolerant than ever.

And, bingo.

We have become so hypersensitive and intolerant that we're like an open wound right now. The smallest thing will set someone off.

The people on both ends who seek to divide are really in their glory right now.
.

 

[alang1216]

People don't like to talk about America's culture for the same reason that a man who just had a heart attack doesn't want to discuss the double bacon cheeseburger he's eating. He knows what he's doing is killing him, but it's easier not to deal with it. We’re in the same boat.

While I do agree with some of your points I don't agree that our culture is declining. It is certainly changing and reacting to the nations past injustices but I don't see that as a bad thing. Like most things, culture is a pendulum, swinging left and right through time but always moving toward the good. That is what makes America great. We don't have to make it great again, since it has always been great. Sorry to those that want to turn back the clock.