An interesting article, the author states that
“trust has faded in modern society because of the collapse in marriage and the family, the breakdown of working-class communities, and more fluid job structures”
I couldn’t agree more, the sheer selfishness of people never ceases to amaze me, driving and shopping in Tesco on a Saturday afternoon are too good examples, but society as a whole is so wrapped up in itself that it is actually blind to its own condition.
Displacing the blame for the human condition – Telegraph.
Two things:
This assumes there has been a breakdown whereas most statistics are based on history pre-emancipation of women or when society afforded fewer freedoms and independence to women. Are we suggesting equality is a bad thing here?
I think it’s more to do with expression rather than change. People have always been greedy, self-centred and selfish. And it’s not that they are blind to it, they like it.
@mj You raise a good point, society has always been crap, and the fact that we are experiencing it first hand makes us think we have it worst.
People definitely like being selfish, until they get a dose of it back at them at least, but change has encouraged this expression, now as it has in the past. A lack of spirituality (and I know how you feel about that) not just now, but always, stops people looking inward and that in my mind is the root of the problem and is the reason behind womens oppression for so long and even events such as slavery and torture. Because the only way for a person to do or support these things is to “switch off” and that has been happening a lot lately and it worries me, looking back on what we’ve done, about where we will end up. People live in their heads, take what they want, do what they desire and feel that everyone should give them respect and that, taken to extremes, shows the true depravity of the human condition.
My thoughts on this: Society is as good or as crap as you believe it to be. Our brains tend to filter our experiences to bolster our existing beliefs – so someone believing other people to be inherently selfish will notice more examples of that than someone believing them to be inherently generous.
I hate selfishness – and bad manners – as much as anyone else; when driving I tend to do exaggerated waves and mouth ‘you’re welcome’ when I pull in to let someone pass/let them out, and they don’t acknowledge it.
But I know I’m indulging myself and I can’t assume it’s bad manners when it may have been they had a lot on their mind/are a nervous driver or whatever…
Having tried to sell my house for the last year, had no renter in to help with bills, having wound down the business planning to move to France and then having to start building it up again when it became clear that wasn’t going to happen, I’ve been through the toughest year I’ve ever had financially, and people’s generosity has been the most amazing, humbling thing to come out of it all. People like being generous too!
On a business front, the people I’ve met in the last two years have also been one of the best things about being self-employed – we’re all passing on information and contacts we think might be useful, recommending books to each other, lending books to each other… I find everyone to be incredibly helpful and supportive, and I think that’s as natural a human condition as being selfish.
I totally understand where you’re both coming from, and I don’t have some utopian view of the world or anything – anyone who’s heard me rant about Coke/Nestle/Tesco’s/Bush, seen me rage at ‘inconsiderate drivers’ or been with me in restaurants when someone didn’t want to tip for no good reason knows I get as p1ssed off as anyone else. But there’s good and bad everywhere, and all you can do is try to focus on the good whilst improving the bad, and try to ‘be the change you want to see in the world’ as Ghandi said.
If I gave into despair at the tortures and oppressions and planet-harming selfishness happening today as at any other time, I would wonder what’s the point of it all. Some films/articles/books almost get me to that point! And I get enraged and sickened by what people in power get away with (and usually in our name). But something or someone always restores my faith in human nature, and what can you do only try and improve matters in whatever small sphere of influence you have?
Thanks Tracy, first off I think I can be a bit too blunt, making grand statements like I did above, its usually because I’ve let something like that get to me at the time. Its easy to get wrapped up in the moaning and complaining and not see the good that is out there too. Secondly, most of my anger stems from the government and others in power, recent events and the lack of support shown, make me wonder why we pay rates/taxes etc. but its important to release that even they aren’t all bad.
I’ve often thought it interesting how so many bloggers/twitters and/or members of the open source community, talk sense and seem to be pretty well rounded, “decent” people. Forget startups, we should form a political party!
Ha! I was talking to someone just yesterday about the whole ’sod ‘em, should I just get in to politics and try and change it from the inside’ idea. I loved Ron Paul’s ‘get me into power and I’ll start giving away power’ stance, shame he didn’t get further…
But here, didn’t think you were too blunt at all – was obvious you were feeling very frustrated, and I totally understand – there’s a lot to get angry about! Just wanted to post a shifted viewpoint in case you were totally in despair, in case it helped.