A cultural Decline
“Clearly, a civilization that feels guilty for everything it is and does will lack the energy and conviction to defend itself.”
Jean-francois Revel
I have noticed that a lot of 40+ intellectuals claim that we’re in a cultural decline. There are many reasons posited. One might be something like, paradoxically, the amount of information at our fingertips; over-stimulation could lead to shorter attention spans, a mass of ‘jacks of all trades masters of none’.
Another big one floating around in the ether is the perceived danger of an informed population.
The idea is that the united states have realized that the biggest threat to its position of power is its own population. Moreover, the main fear is of a politicized population. Therefore steps have been taken to pacify and depoliticize people as much as possible, or at least enough so that people don’t get too involved with the running of their own country. It seems too easy now, to strip down complex and nuanced debate to simplistic buzzwords such as ‘good’ and ‘evil’.
So what do you think? Is the cultural decline simply a natural evolution correlating with lasting peace and prosperity (in other words do the people in the affluent West simply have it too easy) or is this a deliberate ploy to pacify the masses implemented by media and government? Or is it a bit of both? Or something completely different? Is there really a cultural decline at all?
For instance, there is something that I’ve come to realize as I’ve gotten older (I’m definitely still a Young Person, however I am starting to reach an age where I am very definitely viewed as an Adult and should therefore Know Stuff) is that the world is filled with people that don’t know what they’re doing.
Think of it this way: when you were a kid did you look up at adults and think they were this superior human being that somehow inherently Knew What To Do in any given situation? And now that you’re an adult, do you feel that way? I know I don’t. At some point at school I must’ve missed the How being a Grown up classes. Because I know that when a child looks at me with that level of trust and security on their face, my internal reaction is one of panic.
I think this feeds into how each generation views the previous generation and how they will view subsequent generations.
When I look at politics, it’s hard to follow and choose a party because even politicians are only human. They’re just as fallible as the rest of us – only they, more often than not, come from rich backgrounds…
As for the cultural decline I think it depends on your definition of ‘culture’. I work in the training & development field and have done for many years now. I think that different forms of culture wax and wane as each generation passes. New subcultures are formed and reformed and elevated to new cultural heights. Some ‘cultural’ things, educational cultural aspects continue to exist if not exactly thrive like the training industry now, the educational industry, the developmental institutes arising in Egypt these current days… They continue, although not worth more than a little reinvention as time moves on.
As for the wealth of information at our fingertips; I do agree that people have become lazy with shorter attention spans.
People are getting used to ease and comfort and having things handed to them on a place and that includes their culture. But again, that’s only my opinion
What’s your intake on the subject ?!
~ A Spoken word is A Moment. A Written word is Eternal ~
Moe Ash
First of all, very good post. Second, to answer your questions:
What I think about the cultural decline? There’s definitely a cultural decline, and it IS a deliberate ploy by the media all over the world in order to westernize the countries. If you noticed, the western (especially the American) media always portrays knowledge and education as boring stuff, and people who seek them are ‘nerds’. Also, many countries try to Americanize their media, especially the Arab countries. They try daily to shove the degraded American culture and their concepts about ‘how to live your life’ down our throats. As an Egyptian who lived in Saudi Arabia for many years, I can see it happening in both countries especially in Saudi Arabia. But what I am worried about is the Egyptian culture. I can see that the media is trying hard to wipe the customs and traditions of our ancestors. I only hope that the Egyptian youth go back to reading books and learning about their history. I have faith in my generation though (the late 80s-early 90s generation), what disappoint me are the younger generations.