As I sit, I ponder where it all went wrong. I'm certain it wasn't a specific point of turning, but rather a progression towards destruction. The ease with which humans interact on a troglodytic level is evidence of the "safety in numbers" mentality.
It can be likened to a gang. An individual would never act in such a violent manner as is customary in a gang initiation. The gang mentality is also what drives young kids to act out in public. A lone, 14-year-old boy would not disrespect an elderly person were he walking along the street alone. However, when 5 14-year-old boys are walking the street together, they willingly disrespect their elders. The blame is distributed evenly amongst the group members, rather than falling solely on an individual. And, so it is with the morality of humanity.
It is often and regularly apparent to me that the boundaries of human relationships have been crossed, torn down and trampled on like the crumbling of the Berlin Wall. While the end of communism in Germany marked a movement forward for humanity, the breakdown of the social boundaries we are experiencing is certainly more than a step or two backwards. In fact, I'm not sure the manner in which we treat others, including those we supposedly care about, has ever been a part of society - primitive or otherwise.
The collective conscience - or lack thereof - that has developed is appalling. Sex is casual, adultery is acceptable, nudity is commonplace, relationships are disposable and honesty means nothing. If my neighbors, coworkers, friends, family or the celebrities I see on TV are doing it, then it must be ok.
I've got news. There is really nowhere to go from here.
I'm not a religious person. However, religion does not seem to be the answer. I don't have hard data to support this, but it seems to me that this problem isn't selective.
I can't offer a solution because I don't have one. This is merely an observation and a statement that I refuse to become part of a collective lack of conscience.
i totally agree with you! i see it with my students every day. an otherwise mild mannered, perfectly behaved teenager from the hood will turn into a completely different person when surrounded by his/her peers. It is a battle every day to try to break through another wall to get to them and it's tiring and frustrating. I am appalled by the way they treat others sometimes. I blame MTV :)
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