How to Live (Survive) in These Times
How is it that so many Americans seem to have abandoned any commitment to personal virtue — at least in their political lives — and have instead embraced merciless political combat so enthusiastically that they believe you’re immoral if you don’t join their crusade…?” (David French, New York Times)
How are we to live in a time of narcissistic authoritarianism, phony populism and profound polarization? How in this time are we to live with conviction, commitment, grace and love for each other and all creation? The quick answer from thoughtful and informed people who have begun to carefully consider the question is that we cannot yet know. It’s far too early to tell.
To get some sense of where to begin, I had a Chat with a small sample grouping of 30 plus thoughtful, informed people via our new buddy (kind of) - Generative Pre-trained Transformer. These people are from all walks of life. The majority of those I chatted with are living (aware of smart phones & social media). Some passed a century or two ago and a few of them many, many centuries ago. At least one is personally known to many of us. The names are listed below alphabetically.
The question put to each of them in our Chat was: (1) What would you identify as the problem areas in our modern western culture? The responses went on for almost 40 pages. It was soon confirmed from just about every respondent that, while political, cultural and economic issues are clearly a significant part of where we now find ourselves, fundamentally the problem is a moral and spiritual one. Understandably, they are all interrelated. We need poets, prophets, resistance and people deeply committed to truth. For Maryknoll Affiliates, our 4 Pillars of Community, Spirituality, Global Vision and Action speak to much of this.
What follows is a very abridged sample of the 30 plus people I chatted with. The figure in parentheses (#) reflects the number of those who identified that category. The concurrence among them was astonishing!!
· Materialism/Consumerism (25) - over emphasis on productivity/economic priorities over human and ecological well-being/We are what we buy
· Hyper Individualism (21) – fragmentation/disconnection from or erosion of community & family/ self-centeredness/ignoring our interconnectedness/ tribalism, hyper nationalism/ignoring the call for global solidarity/people are increasingly isolated, with fewer connections to family, friends, or civic groups
· Lack of spirituality (20) - lack of strong spiritual foundation/superficial spirituality/decline of the moral order/simplistic narratives/neglect of cosmic spirituality/indifference to faith & spirituality/lack of listening and empathy/dogmatic nature of western institutions/separation of science and spirituality/loss of spiritual connection/disregard for the wisdom of Elders/loss of spiritual depth/misuse of religion and oral authority/ethical relativism/loss of meaning and purpose/cheap grace/disrespect for the sabbath and sacred time/moral relativism/disregard for stillness & contemplation/the instrumentalization of religion/Lack of mindful awareness/secularism & loss of spiritual depth/lack of dialogue between cultures and religions
· Disconnection from Nature & the Cosmos (14) - environmental degradation, lack of an integral ecology/exploitation of natural resources/not honoring the Earth as a sacred place/ western lifestyle contributed to environmental degradation / emphasis on the need for more/unchecked industrial expansion / the destruction of ecosystems / the disconnection from the natural world.
· Culture (11) – a system based on meritocracy (rigged for the affluent)/the decline of shared values/decline of the moral order/simplistic narratives about identity, morality and history/fragmentation and polarization/dominance of linear approach/sexism/control-oriented approaches/patriarchal structures/educational systems advantage the wealthy/resistance to diversity/anthropocentrism/lack of a unified narrative/gender inequality/a culture of fear and division/ workaholism & busyness/systematic racism/superficiality & lack of depth/inequality/overemphasis on rationality and the ego/over-identification with social roles & external expectations/racial inequality/erosion of genuine human connection/social media amplifies extreme viewpoints and creates an echo chamber/nihilism and loss of purpose/family breakdown/less value given to the arts/cultural imperialism/inequality/the educational divide/white supremacy/The “Winning” mentality. David Brooks speaks of the “Diploma Divide” where:
o High school graduates die 9 years sooner than college-educated people.
o They die of opioid overdoses at 6 times the rate.
o They marry less and divorce more and are more likely to have a child out of wedlock.
o They are more likely to be obese.
o 24% of people who graduated from high school at most have no close friends.
o They are less likely than college grads to visit public spaces or join community groups and sports leagues.
o They don’t speak in the right social justice jargon or hold the sort of luxury beliefs that are markers of public virtue.
Inevitably, they feel left out and without a voice. Evolution directs them to join a tribe of like-minded (voiceless) people. Unlike Community – a group where there is mutual love, A tribe -comes together out of mutual hate for the other - outside the tribe.
· Technological Domination without wisdom (6) - social media, separation of science and spirituality, overreliance on technology, technological dependence, the illusion of progress, the role of media, tyranny of progress/addiction to phones and social media
· Failure to embrace vulnerability (6) - an overemphasis on strength and self-reliance/ vulnerability seen as a weakness/fear of failure/gender roles & inequality/disconnection from the unconscious & archetypes/cultural anxieties – feeling threatened by immigration/pride & arrogance/treatment of women/ignoring the wisdom of the marginalized/…vulnerability can be a source of connection, creativity and authenticity
· Other Contributing Areas – simply listed for brevity:
o Economic Inequality / Failure of Institutions/ Dualistic Thinking / Moral Relativism / Lack of Reverence for Life & Death / The Crisis of Freedom / Pride & Arrogance / Violence & Trauma / Challenges to Democracy / Global Political Shifts / Short-Term Thinking / Social Injustice/ Anthropocentrism / Formation of Youth / Conflict Avoidance / Mental Health Crisis / Erosion of Social Capital/Lack of Decency from the top/Lack of True Solidarity / Alienation / Political Corruption and Oppression / Corporate Philanthropy / Reductionism & Fragmentation of Knowledge / Colonialism & American Imperialism
This post is longer than usual yet far too short to identify all the complexities. Will the U.S. political structure (perhaps other institutions too) need to collapse before the phoenix will rise?
It seems for certain that so many of our institutions need dramatic transformation, not incremental change. It can be said of Affiliates, of all Maryknollers: We are people of a covenant (not a contract) in relation to and with each other, all people on planet earth, and with all creation. ACTION is the 4th Affiliate pillar. That’s a very good start.
Names of Contributors in the Chat
James Baldwin, David Brooks, Joan Chittister OSB, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Ilia Delio OFM, Albert Einstein, Pope Francis, Mahatma Gandhi, Anand Giridharadas, Gustavo Gutiérrez, Rabbi A.J. Heschel, Isaiah, Jesus, Carl Jung, Valarie Kaur, Nelson Mandela, MLK, Margaret Mead, Thomas Merton, Moses, Muhammad, Pablo Neruda, Mary Oliver, Diarmuid O'Merchu, Padraig O'Tuama, North American Elder, Raimon Panikkar, Mary J. Rogers MM, Richard Rohr OFM, Otto Scharmer, John Sivalon MM, Brian Swimme, Thich Nhat Hanh, James. A. Walsh MM