U.S. getting more crazy?

Okay, sorry if this is a rant when I start, first of all:

Seriously, every time I turn on the news now, I hear about shooters, violent video games getting more warnings, no gun control laws. Which I think at least should be more stringent, but that's not the topic here. People protesting and saying some pretty horrible things against the U.S. or some part of the U.S. that they don't like, fighting and God-knows what else.

I loved the U.S. for years, I grew up here and I always consider it like my home. But with all this going on, do you think it's changing in a good way or a bad way? If bad, do you think it'll ever change to be good again?

I think honestly, and I thought about it for a while now, that the U.S. is seriously going to the dogs. Without health care for me to help with my own pre-existing condition, I have no reason to stay especially with everything seemingly getting more violent and dangerous on both sides. I loved the U.S. when I was growing up as a kid, I love living where I do with the small, laid back town. But I also don't want to be in a country where I get ticked off every time I turn off the news or upset. Or where I feel like someone who really, REALLY doesn't deserve presidency gets it because the person can kiss up to the press enough. (please don't trot into the minefield of politics, I didn't mention any names, don't start doing so for this conversation.)

It worries me now and in the future.

 

Complacency is the bane of man, as I am fond of saying. I will not like any system until it is perfect. And I am rather tired of people saying, "But, you can't expect it to be perfect." I expect it to fail. I expect imperfection. Therefore, let it fall. Stop defending it. It has indeed gotten worse, and this is just on a sum of local levels. Most people can attest to the fact that in their area, things are worse than they have been in previous years. If you add that up, it means that it is all around worse, without the need for the media at all.

But, that is beside the other point, which is the threat that an empire like this presents to everyone around and under it. As of now, the US, as a single state (America or USA), is the greatest threat to anyone alive today, including those who live within its borders. You could say that we could have everyone by their throats, and it is generally undeniable that we have many by theirs already. As it has not always been this way, it is generally worse now than it was before. The fewer threats, the better, right?

And this could go on in many different directions, but if you can show me a way in which the state itself has improved in efficiency and become more understanding of the common man, I will be impressed. I calmly await such news, particularly if it pertains to a use of power. Some change in law that results in fewer people being arrested for nonviolent and arbitrary crimes, officers being held more accountable for false arrests and searches, and so on. As far as I can tell, accountability is at an all time low at all levels of the hierarchy, and that is never a good thing unless you are in that hierarchy already and are profiting from the problem.

My main problem with your argument is that, because you would not leave, it must not be that bad. On the contrary, if it were easy to leave and come back, you might do so and then stay somewhere else when you found it suitable. Do put immigration laws and monetary concerns up there with your reasons for not leaving, because I have trouble believing that you would not leave if you could when things got rough. While the grass is seldom greener elsewhere, there may at least be grass there, and that kind of thing. Also, for someone who thinks that the media hypes up the problems here, you seem awfully trusting of what they are saying about Egypt. Be careful that you do not develop a bias yourself when it comes to the news, by trusting what they say about foreign affairs but not what they say about what is going on here. Not that you should trust them with either, though, mind. It is just that, you should distrust with equal measure all that is reported, and not filter it based on what place they are talking about as you are doing.

/rant

 

Makaze does make a good point. That all political systems have the potential for failure.

What I would mainly stress is the fluctuation that is human life and society. The ever changing nature of human beings. It shapes the world. Time has shown that our thoughts, beliefs and behaviours have changed dramatically in the last 2,000 years and even just a little from just a decade ago. One way or another it changes.
In the case of this thread, American society would likely have changed from the time you were growing up to the present day. No doubt if you looked around today in America, new buildings would have risen, new shops opened, housing developments, different people on the street, new policies, economic changes, etc. And maybe the most prominent in US society is that a decade ago 9/11 had not occured. The World Trade Center was still there. Truely, the country as a whole has changed, shaped by the times.

Now to that actual arguement. In your opinion, Sara, things have gotten worse from change. However I would pose a strong point. Is it the country that has changed, or the person you are? I'm using the decade model again, but what the heck. Just 10 years ago you were young and in your childhood time. The younger we are, the more we are 'innocent' as it were. We see things diffrently back then. Things are black and white. Good or bad. News isn't important. But what we want is. 10 years ago you probably wouldn't have known what a recession is. Or much, if anything about Afghanastan, Al-Qeada, the Taliban. Life was simpler. Easier maybe. Your life wasn't concerened with the world, unless it was your own.
As you've grown you experienced the media more, maybe watched TV news, read the paper, at school you were asked about your opinion about this or that and in your teens your own opinion started to form. My point is that, as an individual, you've likely changed from an innocent, ignorant child into a more mature and knowledgable person. As such, the opinion you had back then on the world and what it is now has drastically changed. And though the world has done the same, by changing, you really have to ask yourself, whether the world has changed more than your opinion has in the last 10 years.
If America has changed more so, then maybe it really has changed into something worse. But if it is your opinion has changed more, maybe America will have only changed because of how you look on it now. With different eyes.

I hope that made sense. I felt like I rambled on, but I was just trying to get the point across that as the world changes, so do we and so do our opinions.

Btw, Sara, your post made it sound like you weren't born in America. Is that so, or am I reading too much into your post?

 

I was born and raised in the U.S., Maine to be exact.

I have thought for a long time leaving, it's not just the news and myself that has changed. With no health care that would accept me for full coverage without thousands out of pocket, I won't be able to get my pre-existing condition, which is life-long, treated.

I just see so much fighting in the government, so much finger-pointing inside and outside the government and nothing changing. Yes, I do agree it's part of the media, but as an individual, you have your own say and right on how to act and what to say within and in cases of shootings and other things, outside the law. I see less control of that every time I turn on the t.v. and it scares me. I feel like the country is spiraling out of control on many levels, and it's something that can't be solved by slapping more laws in place, or making more control on what people watch/see.

If you see a culture like Japan, they have some of the most violent and sexual based games/cartoons/music out there. Me and my mom went to a Japanese restaurant where they were playing the modern age Japanese songs and she was horrified by the lyrics. But they don't have nearly as much crimes, or nearly as many problems as the United States does. They model after the U.S. in many ways, how can one culture differ so much than another? Maybe the grass isn't greener on the other side, but they might offer a long more.

 

Ah, having a life long medical condition in a country where healthcare is paid for. Not that appealing of a sight for sure.

Modern-day America was born and bred on a violent streak, no doubting the past. To think just 100 years ago the age of the cowboy was still around (even if it was dying out) and certainly was a cut throat time. I believe that countries that base themselves on such a model from the beginning creates constant war and violence intentional or otherwise. I find that the same to be here in the UK, we always have joined our fair share of violent events in history and I doubt that we'd be any different now. But this constant fighting, though destructive is able to sustain itself for long periods of time. America has always been in some conflict, minor or major, internal or external and is one of the reasons for it's success. The headstrong and determined mentality has led to great influence for America, I believe. I doubt the country will change and in the end it maybe the reason for it's survival as a political structure.

Japan itself is a collectivist society, where the group is valued above the individual. As such teamwork is crucial, bonds are made and is seen as an integral part of surviving and flourishing as an individual as well. In general, crimes are lower in Japan because of it. In the west like America, where the individual is valued more than the group, competition and strong negative emotions are coupled together. Hate is more prominent because of the belief that someone is better than you and you have to surpass them, it is difficult to eve be happy with life if you keep trying to be better and do kore.

It is the mindset of the people that really defines them the most, not what they watch, play or listen to. If you want America to change you'd have to alter the whole sturcture of thought of the average American person. A tremendous feat, considering it's like an inert and natural instinct to act a certain way once brought up as such.

 

I think its a generational thing. We are coming up to a point where out generation has more...new...things than the last and we as a society are trying to find the right place for them (if any place at all) to fit.

I feel that we are becoming less religion. If that's a good or a bad thing that's up to you.

Our world has shrunk from what is was in the 1960s and 1970s. More people have the money to travel across the country, cultures are blending and people are discovering more about the world faster.

I think its only crazy because we haven't adapted yet to the new norm. But if you think back to the 60s...we don't have anything like what they had, College riots, segregation, and so on.

 

The US has been on a downward spiral for decades.

In my state for instance (Wisconsin), they recently passed a law (illegally, I might add) which cuts all bargaining rights away from the public unions. We've had super strong union laws for over 50 years and it was simply taken away when we needed it the most. New governor sucks.

At any rate, this is just an example of what I'm talking about. Of course with this particular issue, it's pretty old and has been going on since the 80s, so forgive me if its a little broken.

I think the main issue isn't that things are falling apart so much as there's nothing we can really do about it except "peacefully" (or otherwise) protest. Protesting is an extremely faulty counter mechanism which has only significantly impacted politics when riots or gatherings of more than 125,000 protesters are actively revolting. It used to be effective during times when police weren't as abundant, but I digress...

 

I have only one thing to add . . . *clears throat* people are crazy. No joke, it is within every humans instincts to be crazy. To do things that don't make sense is what makes a human. As someone once said, "You can gather every evil thing in the world, and when mixed together they create man." or something like that. Anyway, yeah, crazy.

 

I think it's both getting more crazy and we're hearing more of the crazy being blown out of proportion thanks to the media.

I think everywhere in the world has its flaws and faults in laws/society and it's on a different level for each location. I mean personally in the UK it sounds like our country is getting worse and worse by the year with increased binge drinking, underage pregnancy and gang culture. But I feel it existed just as much thirty years ago as now and it has increased slightly but media are covering it more strongly portraying a more negative image.

I just feel things spread about like wildfire thanks to the internet boom and it is not as negative as it's portrayed. I'm not saying it's ok or good enough either. The uk and every other place in the world need to improve their individual society somehow. I'm not the one who knows how or what to do but other people will I hope.

 

stop watching the news, USA, is using Fear to market whatever they want to sell.

live your life, by the neccecary protection for your house "locks alarms etc" dont walk around with a gun, and just live your life, its way to short to live in fear.

i live in sweden and i dont lock my hosue 50% of the time i go out. then again sweden is safer so.