Reply #29: Individualism has trumped community.

[CrispyQ]

The sense that "we're all in this together" has diminished dramatically since the 50s. We're all so focused on ourselves, we don't give a fuck about anyone else. There are many factors that contribute to this:

> value things over people - a key factor - key
> population - it's harder to find a common bond in bigger communities
> transience - when you don't value community, it's easier to walk away from a community
> busy lives - whatever the reason, most people have a very limited amount of personal/discretionary time - no wonder they're stressed & pissed!
> digital age - while the internet has created new virtual communities, it also allows us to tune out our here-and-now community with cell phones, iPods, etc.
> cool to be cruel - like PA Democrat said above - our society cultivates cruelty
> economy - as it gets worse this bad behavior will be exacerbated

Last night Anderson Cooper showed a video of a woman at a Burger King drive through reaching through the drive through window & assaulting the employees. When the employees closed the window, she smashed the window with a bottle from her car. What was the cause of this spoiled brat tantrum? They didn't have chicken nuggets. Unfuckingbelievable!

I see behavior like this & I feel like I fell down the rabbit hole. I miss civility & manners.

"Happiness doesn't come from having things; it comes from being part of things."
~Chris in the morning, Northern Exposure