Consider:
- The obesity in this nation that stems largely from the disconnect between caloric intake and physical effort. We go so far in trying to find ways of satisfying our DESIRE to eat, not to be confused with our NEED to eat, that we make and consume additives and drugs that will allow us eat as much as we want and not gain weight and we'll even disregard the much more serious effects just so we don't have to enjoy eating food in a moderation that matches our actual bodily requirement. Think Olestra, Saccharine, and the fen-fen diet pills to name a few.
- Look at our "entitlement" society. Have you met anyone that agrees with the ideal of entitlement? Now, all those people that hate entitlement, how many of them think that "right to work" protects them from losing their job for any reason? How many of them still accept the benefits of entitlement programs? How many do the least amount to just get by but expect greater rewards? Look around you. And look honestly at yourself. The number of people I've know in my life that believe they should work as hard as they can to earn the maximum reward is vastly outnumbered by the number of people I've known that subscribe to the theory that they will do the minimum amount they can get by doing and expect if not demand the maximum reward. Look around your place of work. How many people use sick days to golf a round? How many people have you known that exploit FMLA, equal opportunity or sexual harrassment policies to get the most they can for the least effort? Hard work produces rewards, but our society is increasingly become a least effort, exploit the system for maximum gain culture.
- How many people do you know that get upset about the way others violate the law? Or get upset when others violate rules of etiquette or polite social behavior? But, how many of them think that the laws, rules of etiquette or politeness don't apply to them? Again, it doesn't take much looking around to see that many in our society expect others to obey the laws and rules but think that they can pick and choose which apply to them. Everyone writes their own rulebook and gets upset when others do the same...
- Then, look at our attitude towards sex and reproduction. We do everything to isolate the pleasure from the love and commitment. Sex and pleasure are the end and not the means. And if the natural consequence of sex occurs, someone falls in love or a new life is formed, well that's the fault of the used and seduced or the newly conceived child is just a wart to be removed. And just this week, some medical ethicists were published making the case that any reason that is valid for justifying an abortion is also valid to justify killing a new born within some arbitrary period of time following the birth. We are so focused on divorcing action from consequence that we now have medical ethicists arguing that "do no harm" doesn't apply to newborns?
- And what about marriage? Make a life long commitment to love, care for, and be faithful to one another. But, if you just lose interest or decide your personal pleasure is more important than your legal promise or the obligation you made when you decided to bring life into the world with your spouse, well... our legal system now says that there is no fault, no blame, everyone should be able to walk away with their "entitlement" although the kids and the abandoned spouse, they aren't entitled to hold someone to their commitment or their obligations, choices have no consequence. People just "grow apart" and that's life...
Our culture is seriously messed up. No one is to blame for anything. There is no sense of right or wrong. It's all about me, instant gratification and individual pleasure and no one should be held accountable for their actions...
