Problems in America Survey-Thing

[Fantine]

I think that most of our problems have been caused by the cataclysmic changes that have taken place in the past century, and humankind's inability to adjust to these changes without great difficulty.

We have gone from an agrarian economy to an industrial economy to a technological economy. We have gone from rural living to urban living. This has affected our social and family structures and our sense of community. It has also affected our religious faith, as we no longer have the security, support and shared value system of our extended families and small communities.

As we are bombarded with outside sensory input--too many people, too many crowds, too much information--we take steps to protect ourselves and establish boundaries which leave us isolated and lonely.

We have become an overly materialistic, consumerist society, substituting gadgets for relationships. Because our relationships have deteriorated, we no longer have the sense of responsibility towards our neighbors that we used to.

It's too late to elaborate more....but F&B did an awesome job.

 

[Chany]

Personally, I think that hurricane at the site of the Republican National Convention at the exact same time it was supposed to be held is a sign of God's displeasure with the Republicans and their anti-poor agenda. Not really, but I plan to bring that up whenever anyone says such and such natural disaster is because of such and such liberal thing.

Maybe hurricanes are just part of natural weather patterns. If we're getting a few more of them lately, it's probably because global climate change has begun to alter the earth's weather patterns. Scientists saw this stuff coming years ago-- more and more unusual weather events and extremes, etc.. Our environment is a delicate balance.

I prefer the term "balancing act" to describe the environment. It's more realistic with the natural world.

 

[Fish and Bread]

I said that giving people things CREATES lazy people.

I guess by that reasoning God was wrong to give the Israelites free manna from heaven, eh? Maybe he should have just been allowed them to starve to death, or told them to work harder to produce their own food out of the sand and desert wasteland that surrounded them.

Or maybe he shouldn't have been so liberal with giving away all that unmerited grace, if, as you said, giving people things creates lazy people.

 

[Mikey123]

I guess by that reasoning God was wrong to give the Israelites free manna from heaven, eh? Maybe he should have just been allowed them to starve to death, or told to work harder to produce their own food out of the sand and desert wasteland that surrounded them.

I'm pretty sure they earned the manna - following Moses, staying faithful to God, and all.

 

[AMDG]

I guess by that reasoning God was wrong to give the Israelites free manna from heaven, eh?

Remember that it was only a temporary thing?

 

[Fish and Bread]

I'm pretty sure they earned the manna - following Moses, staying faithful to God, and all.

Maybe everyone deserves enough food to eat and enough water to drink.

 

[Fish and Bread]

Remember that it was only a temporary thing?

What about grace? That's a permanent thing, isn't it?

 

[Mikey123]

Maybe everyone deserves enough food to eat and enough water to drink.

They do, as long as they work for it.

 

[catholicbybirth]

I do not intend this to be a debate. I simply want to research problems our country is facing today in my free time. Simply tell me what you think problems in America are: from specific to broad, unheard to popular, I want to here it. Please, however, stay away from specific people (I don't want to here how Romney and Obama are ruining our country with whatever incredibly biased articles you can find).

Thanks in advance.

The problems facing America today are: the economy, the godlessness of society, and "political correctness".

The economy seems to be going from bad to worse. When someone is wanting to work full time, ANYWHERE, and there seems to no full time job in the county in which she resides, well that is a sad commentary on the economy.

The godlessness of society is evident by the attitude of those who think that whatever they do, as long as no one gets hurt, should be legal. Whether drugs or sex with someone of the same sex, they claim that no one is getting hurt.

Political correctness has been going on since the 70's, at least that is when I remember first hearing the term. Why must we mince words, just so someone's feelings don't get hurt? I agree with some political correctness, but in truth, it is really in respecting people that I agree. When PC first appeared it was to call people we use to refer to as [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] by the term "mentally challenged". It is now to the point that we are nearly forced to accept homosexuality as a good thing because we are not to hurt homosexuals feelings. We are also supposed to accept abortion because why have children when there is so much overpopulation in the world, or because the parents of the fetus do not love the fetus.

Janice

 

[Fish and Bread]

They do, as long as they work for it.

What if they can't find jobs? We've got like an 8 or 9% unemployment rate, and that only counts people who are able to work and looking for work but can't find it (Even in an almost optimal capitalist economy, you'd have at least 3% unemployment, according to economists, so this is always an issue). Then there are folks who can't work due to physical and mental disabilities (or both), and elderly people who may technically be able to do some work, but deserve to be able to retire at a certain point (Which Catholic teaching supports).

I don't think many people who receive social services could actually be making a nice living and choose to not work and live in poverty instead because it means like $50 in food stamps and stuff like that. I think most people would rather work and have the nice house with the two car garage, given the choice. It's just that for whatever reasons, a lot of people don't have that choice.

When PC first appeared it was to call people we use to refer to as [bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse][bless and do not curse] by the term "mentally challenged".

Apparently CF has taken that bit of political correctness to heart.

 

[Fran75]

I think the outsourcing of jobs is one of the biggest problems in our country today.

 

[Winter]

The lack of "quality" in goods and entertainment. Everything is cheap - from the music (as in, pop music) to clothing, to food, etc.

Outsourcing of jobs.

Nothing "made in the USA" anymore.

People being complacent about too many things. I don't care what anyone says - Americans don't know how to speak up. I give Europeans credit - when they don't like something all hell breaks loose.

The sheeple/consumer society.

Eroding of traditional customs that held our societies and families together.

Lack of God.

Obsession with cultural technology that has caused every young child to have that glazed look in their eye.

Lack of respect for elders. In other countries elders are respected.

Lack of professional journalism and news delivery on cable stations.

And finally .... and this is trivial ..... UPTALKING. I can't stand it. This is a "new" form of speech where everyone sounds like they are asking a question when its supposed to be a declarative sentence. It started in the 80s with the Valley Girls of Calif. Now everyone - every child and even news anchors speak this way. It sounds pathetic.

 

[TheOtherHockeyMom]

I said that giving people things CREATES lazy people. Not what you said.

So how do we deal with the problem of the world's (and this country's) poor? If we don't give children food, education and healthcare, how do they grow up at all, much less grow up into productive members of society? How do we motivate poor adults to work hard without providing opportunities (childcare, education, etc.)

 

[AMDG]

So how do we deal with the problem of the world's (and this country's) poor? If we don't give children food, education and healthcare, how do they grow up at all, much less grow up into productive members of society? How do we motivate poor adults to work hard without providing opportunities (childcare, education, etc.)

That's where returning God to this nation is important. Then there is charity--sharing, then there are morals--no one takes more than his share and no one is out to purposely hurt their neighbor, then there is caring--we all make one country and want it's best so we can all *pursue* happiness..

 

[christseeker45]

I do not intend this to be a debate. I simply want to research problems our country is facing today in my free time. Simply tell me what you think problems in America are: from specific to broad, unheard to popular, I want to here it. Please, however, stay away from specific people (I don't want to here how Romney and Obama are ruining our country with whatever incredibly biased articles you can find).

Thanks in advance.

Liberalism. To much much self not enough God