This is why America is drowning

And surprisingly, it has nothing to do with Trump

It’s not my goal here to make the argument that the American way of life is in decline. If you do not believe that, simply talk to anybody with political or social values different than yours and see how they respond. Usually, it’s not a mere “agreement of disagreement” but rather a spark which ignites an argument if not a complete loss of respect by the other person. If you do not feel inclined to respond in the same way, consider yourself way ahead of the game.

This is the reality these days in the US. People finding any and every way to create division. To criticize and hate and divide. We are accustomed to it, so much so that we don’t know how to respond if the other person does not argue.

Al of which leads me to believe that the erosion of American way of life has nothing to do with:

• the republican party
• the ethics of the president
• the democratic party
• Facebook or social media

And everything to do with the fact that Americans spend too much of their time trying to change things that are bigger than them. They do not spend enough time caring for themselves.

Our systems our broken, not by political lobbying or mishandling of budgets, but because the older generations do not set a good example for the younger generations. They are not happy, and they do not know how to be happy. So they impart their unhappiness generating habits to us, the younger generation.

The idea that you have to fight for something in order for your life to have meaning. The idea that you have to stand for and represent and ideology, a larger group, a political party or religion. And simultaneously believing that individualism is the most important virtue. That everybody should accept everybody else, exactly as they are, and that if they do not, they must be shamed until they do, or at least until we’ve shamed them until we are tired of shaming them.

All these beliefs are counterproductive to the purpose of life: happiness, which does not come from stubbornly forcing everybody to agree with your views, or forcing everybody to accept you as you are, but to simply be content with those things, without having to change what is beyond your control to change. They say, he who does not act is complicit in exacerbating the problem. I say, he who is accused of being a part of the problem for not acting and still does not act is the wisest of them all. Because all problems are individual problems. There are systems and phenomena, but they are not problems unless they affect us on an individual level. Assuming “problems” in the world are evils which must be defeated is a convenient delusion, as if we wished we were born into Middle Earth so we could kill the dragon and retrieve the treasure — as if it were that simple. Problems arise for us the moment when we start to blame our misfortunes on systems and groups. We can only do the best for ourselves.

The reason our nation is experiencing record highs in suicide and depression is because we are reached a peak of unconsciousness — where all the most common beliefs are the opposite of what is good for the soul. We criticize people and cultures who are content, because we are not. And yet we refuse to look within. We only criticize to no end, because it’s all we know, all we’ve been taught. That fighting is the answer. That the solutions lie outside. That we have to change the world to align with our personal convictions before we find happiness.

This is why our country is drowning.

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