When did it begin to go wrong?

When did it begin to go wrong?

Reading and watching the news about abduction of children and the threat posed made me wonder what happened to change things in America. Parents feel the need to accompany their children to the school bus stop. Fear appears to be taking a foothold in the lives of many. When my daughter visited us last year in the German village where I live she expressed concern for the children wandering around the village un-supervised. I told her not to be concerned. Kids run around the village and go into the vineyards. It is often a problem knowing where they may be, but that concern for their safety is limited to injuries associated with play. Kids walk to the bus stop unsupervised and many ride their bicycles to school.
I reflected on the days of my childhood, walking two miles each morning to school. Those were the days before school busses. We roamed in the woods, climbed trees and did the things that kids do, often getting in mischief. We knew when to be home to do the chores and if late, we were punished. We took responsibility for our actions. Today it seems that responsibility rests with the parents and if things go wrong, it is the parent’s fault. Are today’s children being instilled with fear? Are they being raised to be dependent on someone else? As for violence against children, when did that begin? Is freedom/liberty misinterpreted? Why is it that the proclaimed best, most powerful and most free nation on earth is not safe? What happened?

I have my own theories about this, but they are just theories. I don’t live here on a daily basis and cannot evaluate the conditions that contribute to this dilemma. I say dilemma because I believe it is. The pioneers of early America endured hardship and the risks they took were great. That is the America that we read about. A new book on America will most likely be written that shows a different mentality, a different work ethic and a society of violence. Living in fear for the safety of oneself or family is not a happy thought. Of course there are those who will point to other countries and cultures where it is worse as though that will justify our present circumstance. Then there is the tendency to ignore or deny that there are other places on earth where living conditions are better. It is often associated with one’s outlook on life to be happy. Are we looking for security? Are we concerned about safety? Are we concerned about the general welfare that includes healthcare? Do we have that in our country? If not, why not?

Over time, our society has become more urban. There are fewer small towns and rural communities. Industrialization and technology have improved our lives in some ways, but there is a trade-off. We continue to lose touch with nature and the natural world. There has been a growing de-valuation of the feminine that started in the first half of the 20th century and rapidly escalated through the second half, Leading to the extreme imbalance we saw during the first decade of this 21st century. Parents roles are in the process of change. Being a mom is no longer an honored position. Schools have taken over many of the parenting roles, and the system is dominated by masculine principles. In education, the sciences have become more valued than the arts. In the workplace, while there are more women than there once were, those women are compelled to take on masculine attributes if they are to succeed The more our society becomes imbalanced, the more aggressive we become. The more we value aggression, the more violent we become. Cut-throat competition and greed are the norm in a male-dominated society.


But I believe that the perspective is changing. Look at the results of this past election. White males lost out to women and minorities. We are, as a group, becoming more compassionate, hence our support of healthcare. We are beginning to realize the need for cooperation over competition, and we will soon begin seeing the results in Congress.

We do not need to go backward to a time when women "stayed in their place." We need to continue moving forward with honoring feminine values in both the home and the workplace. Dads will have a greater role in their children's nurturing, and cooperative trends in the work-place and in Washington will help to stabilize the economy.