I read this yesterday:
What in the World has Happened to America?
Earlier today, my attention was directed to a thread on an Internet discussion forum that lamented how much America had changed over the years. I don’t know exactly why, but the posts on that thread really touched me. Those of us that are old enough to remember what America was like before the Internet grew up in a much simpler time. Yes, we didn’t have all of the luxuries that we take for granted in 2019, but we found joy in the simple things and people were generally much happier. Today, we seemingly have so much going for us, and yet people are lonelier, more disconnected and more depressed than ever before. The suicide rate in the United States is up
34 percent since the year 2000, approximately 40 million American adults
have an anxiety disorder, and overdosing on drugs is now
the leading cause of death for Americans under the age of 50. Clearly, our society is not heading in the right direction.
So that probably explains why a thread entitled
“I Cry When I Think Back How Things Used To Be” got my attention so much. This is what the author of the thread posted…
In just five sentences, this individual captured what so many of us have been feeling.
Of course, most of us didn’t grow up on a farm. I certainly didn’t. But without a doubt, there are lots of people out there that are saddened by the contrast between what America used to be and what America is today.
Another person that grew up near Boston
also shared memories of simpler days…
Once upon a time in America, people actually sat on their porches and talked with their neighbors. I know that may sound quite strange to many of you, but it is true. Sadly, most houses that are being built today don’t even have real front porches because they are considered to be a waste of space.
So what has caused such a dramatic shift in our country?
Well, the truth is that there are a lot of factors, but one that kept coming up over and over in the thread was social media. Here is what one astute poster
had to say…
You don’t have to spend much time on social media to realize that a lot of people are downright nasty, mean and cruel.
It isn’t healthy to spend much time mentally immersed in that type of environment, but many of our young people are online almost constantly, and as a result,
they are developing all sorts of problems…
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That resonated with me because we do live in a very cruel society now. My husband and his men all sat around talking about the younger crop of people coming into their company. They all said that they're cutthroat, without principles. I think that one of the worst incubators is public school today. But more so I think that Christians need to lead the way. If we aren't even kind to one another and if we accept it or give a wink and a nod to those who abuse another and we're just glad it isn't being done to me - I think it's all evil in the sight of God. There is a perversity in human nature where people like to gather around and watch a fight - similar to watching the death matches in ancient Rome. I hope that we all learn that these things are an abomination in God's sight.
We've seen overt sin practiced in every church we've been in. The blindness there was blinding itself in its brilliance. I wonder if we can look for ways to improve and maybe it should start with us. I like the quote attributed to Gandhi: "Be the change you want to see in the world."
There is a lot I miss about America too.