Hi Carl,
You make a good point here regarding apathy. I might put it another way, the
way Robert Reich has put it in some of his books on capitalism. He says, and I
agree wholeheartedly, that many AMericans have been transformed from citizens
to consumers. This transformation took place gradually beginning in the
mid-1970's. Citizens are interested in participating in the process of
government. That means reading policy documents, participating in public
meetings, trying to organize support for what is right and just, etc. Now, too
damned many of us are consumers. We look for the best deal, and we consume
fluffy mass media and entertainment in place of the harder task of
participating in our government. A big part of the problem is that we must now
work harder and longer to get what our parents had. Also, our wants have grown
exponentially. Before high school, I didn't know very many families that owned
more than one vehicle unless the second vehicle was a truk for folks like
electricians and plumbers. By the time I graduated high school, it seemed the
norm for the average family to own more than one vehicle.
So, it seems that today, the chase for the almighty dollar trumps good
citizenship. How will this all end? Not sure I want to know.
Bob Hachey
