Change is constant in society.  A certain amount of change is good.  It challenges us physically, psychologically, mentally, and financially.  Things like working out, learning to balance a budget, and encouraging your friends to volunteer come to mind.

Some change is bad.  I’m thinking massive layoffs, recessions, and pandemics here.

Something has changed in the US over the past 30 years.  The U.S. has seen a very dramatic change in values.  There are many things you can blame.  Technology, easier access to travel, competitiveness, false advertising, ego, and slew of other things can be blamed.  Harry Smith’s book We Hate Us discusses this in detail.  In the above interview he mentions a few key things that have changed:

Solitude – 30 years ago our lives were based on community and family.  These days you’re doing good if you can see your neighbor’s shadow when they get off work.

Greediness - There is nothing wrong with wanting to do better financially.  It seems that the entire country is focused on getting rich quick, building wealth at all costs, and making decisions based solely on cost and ROI.

Death of Family Traditions – It was once noble to take your family’s traditions and pass them on to the next generation.  It seems that people are not scrambling to get away from the way they grew up.

Manners Are No More – The words ma’am and sir have been deleted from the American vocabulary.  I still say it and people respond like they’ve seen a ghost.  Heaven forbid I open a door or help someone across the street.

So what do you think?

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