Is society deteriorating?

[Caitlin.ann]

Is society deteriorating? How? Why?

 

[roflcopter101]

No, it's changing.

 

[PassionFruit]

Is society deteriorating? How? Why?

Hmmm....

Every time this question is asked, I always wonder was there a time when things weren't deteriorating. I mean this whole belief that 'family values' and morals are in decline is kind of silly.

All one has to do is read history. The 1950's certainly wasn't how it was portrayed on shows like Leave It to Beaver and Father Knows Best. Even the Victorian era wasn't as innocent as people would like to believe. To me, the only difference is things are far more open now than they used to be. Have things gotten better? Yes, but at the same time there are things that seemed to have worsened. And each time had the belief that society was deteriorating. When slaves were freed, people thought society was deteriorating for example.

So I agree with roflcopter101, society is just changing.

 

[Caitlin.ann]

My personal opinion is that society is not deteriorating but I do want to know how many think it actually is.

 

[RocketRed]

No, it's changing.

Yeah. Everyone generation will have the one before it bemoan the changes that our country goes through and they declare that this is it! Everything's falling apart now!
Change is the only constant.

 

[Penumbra]

I don't think so.

Various groups of people in various parts of the world have believed that things were so bad that everything was going to end soon, yet hundreds or thousands of years go by anyway, and things just keep on going.

Modern society (or one should say societies because there is not just one) has its ups and downs over the past. People are more tolerant to race and gender differences, medicine has improved a good deal so that fewer children have to die of disease, world-wide communication has allowed the world to learn about parts they would not have otherwise had easy access to.

Our lives have also become hectic and fast paced, and we are over-specialized and rely on technology that few people have a deep grasp of. We also continue unsustainable practices, as human progress is faster than what is probably best for us.

-Lyn

 

[Mling]

In some ways maybe, in others, maybe not. Our ability to memorize large passages of text has certainly gone downhill since the invention of the printing press.

I think, in certain specifics like that, we are deteriorating, but overall, Western Society is improving. Practices that exploit people and promote systemic, non-merit-based inequalities are becoming less frequent, and where they still exist, people care about it and largely consider it an injustice.

That's a massive improvement from the slavery; serfdom; child, animal and spousal abuse; and caste systems that were so common a few hundred years ago.

 

[Everlasting33]

It seems like it but human nature has always been this way. The only difference now is opportunity through technology.

 

[PassionFruit]

That's a massive improvement from the slavery; serfdom; child, animal and spousal abuse; and caste systems that were so common a few hundred years ago.

Yeah, though slavery still does exist, but it's called human trafficking now. But overall I agree with you, it seems there are people are more willing to try to change things now, instead of accepting that mentality that some people are simply inferior, therefore should be slaves, etc.

 

[Autumnleaf]

Yeah, though slavery still does exist, but it's called human trafficking now. But overall I agree with you, it seems there are people are more willing to try to change things now, instead of accepting that mentality that some people are simply inferior, therefore should be slaves, etc.

Today's slavery is actually revolving credit and stocks. Stocks allow people who own them to control and profit from the work of others. Revolving credit allows stockholders to profit from usury.

 

[Mling]

Today's slavery is actually revolving credit and stocks. Stocks allow people who own them to control and profit from the work of others. Revolving credit allows stockholders to profit from usury.

And if that's what we have to point to, to find an example of widespread slavery in America, then that's an improvement.

 

[Penumbra]

Today's slavery is actually revolving credit and stocks. Stocks allow people who own them to control and profit from the work of others. Revolving credit allows stockholders to profit from usury.

Stocks merely divide ownership of business, and business has been around for thousands of years. Instead of one person owning a business, a corporation is merely a business with a large number of owners. It's not like stocks "invent" the concept of having someone work for you.

Stocks and well-used credit, when compared to slavery, are nothing. Slaves were shackled into ships, sent over to America, and forced to die or do hard labor. If they were disloyal or tried to escape, they were beaten, tortured, or killed.

A corporate "slave" has the option to choose where to work or to start her own business if she has the ability to. In fact, credit allows small businesses to get started.

-Lyn

 

[PassionFruit]

Today's slavery is actually revolving credit and stocks. Stocks allow people who own them to control and profit from the work of others. Revolving credit allows stockholders to profit from usury.

That's not even close to being slavery. Besides corporations allow for people to have the opportunity to buy a percentage of their business. Heck it's expected.

Which is also not even close to human trafficking were people are essentially forced into labor or sex work. And the people essentially cannot leave.

 

[Infernalfist]

Today's slavery is actually revolving credit and stocks. Stocks allow people who own them to control and profit from the work of others. Revolving credit allows stockholders to profit from usury.

today's slavery is self inflicted rather than forced upon you

 

[Mling]

today's slavery is self inflicted rather than forced upon you

Yup. As opposed to the other kind of slavery, where people are kidnapped bought, and owned as property. Otherwise known as "slavery."

 

[Verv]

Is society deteriorating? How? Why?

Depends on which society we are talking about.

Certain societies are undergoing very positive social changes that are liberating them, such as China, Korea and Vietnam.

Other societies have gone too far with their sense of liberation and are falling into the madness of Romanesque decadence, such as the United States, Canada and the Netherlands.

Society is never moving towards one ultimate goal -- what is happening is just that things change, sometimes for better and sometimes for worst.

It is a pendulum of change and I like it.

 

[Bushido216]

Depends on which society we are talking about.

Certain societies are undergoing very positive social changes that are liberating them, such as China, Korea and Vietnam.

Other societies have gone too far with their sense of liberation and are falling into the madness of Romanesque decadence, such as the United States, Canada and the Netherlands.

Society is never moving towards one ultimate goal -- what is happening is just that things change, sometimes for better and sometimes for worst.

It is a pendulum of change and I like it.

I was going to post a snarky comment, but

WHAT?

Remember folks.

U.S. Liberty: Romanesque Decadence.
Chinese Liberty: Positive Freedom.

Carry on.

 

[Verv]

I was going to post a snarky comment, but

WHAT?

Remember folks.

U.S. Liberty: Romanesque Decadence.
Chinese Liberty: Positive Freedom.

Carry on.

I am actually referring to the changes that have been occurring.

In the last 15 years China has changed a lot. Certainly China does not have that much freedom, but socially, they are advancing forward and are actually making headway in recognizing the rights of people as individuals.

In the last decade, for instance, Vietnam and China have both normalized their stances on homosexuality, as Korea has also done, coming more into line with the West in a sense of tolerance.

But you can put it this way:

There is a point right between the 1950s stoicism and social repression and between the 1990s decadence where we reach something agreeable; a solid balance between overly collective interpretations of the world and overly individualistic.