Loss of Culture

I was recently asked what I thought about America’s loss of culture. I really don’t believe that America has lost its culture. It just appears to have moved on to something drastically different from what it used to be. In our past, family was something that everyone strived to be a part of. Today, because of technological advances and the interference of our government, family is no longer a mainstay in our country.

Let me start with the interference of our government. Because of policies and programs, a large number of poor have been manipulated into believing that the government should be the provider for the family instead of the father. We see this demonstrated in many single mother households where the father is absent and the government has stepped in with welfare and food programs. This has produced generations of individuals that now believe the government should take care of them. This is bad in a number of ways which affect our country. The worst offense of these policies is that they allow the fathers of these families to walk away without any responsibility. Some states do have policies in force to find the fathers and make them pay child support, but most states don’t try very hard to find them. It’s easier for the agencies to just fund the single mothers and move on. Another offense associated with this issue is who pays for it. The government does not have any money. The government takes all the money in its budgets from the people. This means that We, The People, pay for everything our government does through taxes. Paying to raise other people’s children, whose fathers have left to avoid the responsibility, should never be allowed. Those that create the problem should be made to take care of it, not those who pay taxes. An additional problem with this system is the affect it has on the children in these families. They grow up believing that the government is there to provide for them and subsequently raise children of their own in the same situation. This creates a whole class of people dependant on the government for support. Our politicians DO NOT wish to change this system for a very simple reason. People dependent on the government are dependent on our politicians. If someone is dependent on them, they can count on their vote. This keeps those politicians in office.

Technology has also affected families. Because of our advancement in technology, we have all become more isolated and less likely to interact with other people in a face to face setting. Video games have become the entertainment for our youth instead of fresh air and exercise. Television has become a necessary babysitter instead of the luxury it once was. Our country has moved from a culture of family to a culture of entertain me materialism. Some families see the problems we face today and try to limit their children’s exposure, but a large share of families become so busy, they do not have the time or energy to combat the changes. Other families have joined right in and think the race is one to be won. They purchase their children whatever they ask for and never say no. Buying your child whatever they want, never ends well. They grow up thinking they deserve everything and should be allowed to have it. This kind of behavior produces a group of lazy, whining, young adults who won’t do anything to help themselves. These individuals are a drain on today’s society. As far as the problem with today’s youth being unable to differentiate between needs and desires, time will cure the problem. Who’s responsible for this generation of whiners? Those that spoiled their children and never raised them to be self-reliant individuals. Culture traditions are generally passed down through the family and maintained from generation to generation. With today’s political correctness and multi-culturism, people are less likely to practice traditions they believe might offend others. With the advent of the internet, people see many different cultures and can study them all. This only adds to the breakdown of an individuals family traditions. As far as a loss of culture, I don’t believe we have lost our culture so much as our culture has changed. I’m not saying the changes are for the better, but they have happened. America is still the greatest country on earth. We may have our internal problems, but we are still the most desired place to live in the world. People move here for the incredible opportunities we have. Hard work and freedom allow one to achieve whatever they desire.