25 Comments
User's avatar
Sheri Oz's avatar

This is truth I didn't want to know. Oof! Can society recover it's senses?

David Michael Swindle ๐Ÿชฌ๐ŸŒ€๐ŸŸฆ ๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰'s avatar

Probably not in our lifetimes. Maybe things would swing backwards a few generations down the line. I really think we need to prepare for the culture to just degrade further, with technology just accelerating the decline. Apologies for being a prophet of doom, here.

Sheri Oz's avatar

Need a sad emoji here

CHARLES's avatar

I don't agree with this sentiment:

"When men stop believing in God, they donโ€™t believe in nothing; they believe in anything.โ€

But I TOTALLY agree with this one:

"...despite being โ€œempty calories,โ€ junk info still tastes delicious. Since your dopamine pathways can't distinguish between useful and useless info, consuming junk info gives you the satisfaction of feeling like you're learning."

This is TikTok culture hands down.

Limitless information. But too often delivered in tiny bites--very superficial bites--and the algorithms can lead a person to think 'everybody' sees it 'their way.' It feeds that beast unrestrained.

So yes, if an entire generation grows up that way, all bets are off.

CHARLES's avatar

That if a person doesn't believe in God, they're subject to believe in 'anything?'

That's like saying a person can't have strong moral principles without a belief in God. That makes no sense to me.

David Michael Swindle ๐Ÿชฌ๐ŸŒ€๐ŸŸฆ ๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰'s avatar

But canโ€™t they believe in whatever moral principles they want?

CHARLES's avatar

I don't think it's anywhere near that simple.

I don't think someone can be in favor of child sacrifice one day and totally against it the next just because.

David Michael Swindle ๐Ÿชฌ๐ŸŒ€๐ŸŸฆ ๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰'s avatar

But I mean that one can choose to believe in whichever moral value system one wants - communism, fascism, anarchism, monarchism. Etc. One can pick whatever system of moral values one wants.

CHARLES's avatar

That's just not how beliefs work in my mind. People either believe something or we don't.

We can be convinced to believe differently from what we currently believe. But ultimately, it's not a choice.

What you're talking about sounds more related to ideology, religion, etc., which are more about doctrine and adhering to a doctrine. But general beliefs about right and wrong, as far as I can tell, are more based in culture, family, environment and personal experience.

Alfred, Lord Featherstonehaugh's avatar

I think โ€œdoomedโ€ is a bit extreme here. What youโ€™re seeing here is the youth with no trust in institutions.

When the state is functioning as it should, I believe youโ€™ll see a lot more trust. The fact so many young people turned out to vote for Trump shows they think itโ€™s not hopeless.

- An example of said demographic

David Michael Swindle ๐Ÿชฌ๐ŸŒ€๐ŸŸฆ ๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰'s avatar

Youโ€™re not factoring in here the data about religion that Iโ€™m citing, which is my whole argument.

Alfred, Lord Featherstonehaugh's avatar

Simply because I agree with you. Itโ€™s arguably the serious problem America faces, and one which will lead us to dangerous situations. As weโ€™ve already seen all too well.

I do question if weโ€™re โ€œdoomedโ€ though. Seems a trifle too black pilled for me: People can - and frequently do - pick up religion as they get older and realise they donโ€™t know all the answers. Solomon and the Book of Ecclesiastes spring to mind.

For example, look at how female opinions on transgender acceptance has changed drastically in the last four years.

Possibly we have a different definition of the words, because while I see the situation as unquestionably dangerous, I donโ€™t think it is utterly hopeless.

David Michael Swindle ๐Ÿชฌ๐ŸŒ€๐ŸŸฆ ๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰'s avatar

I think โ€œblack hole-pilledโ€ would be a good way to summarize my perspective on humanity in general and Americaโ€™s cultures in particular. ๐Ÿ˜

Alfred, Lord Featherstonehaugh's avatar

๐Ÿ˜‚ Lol yes. I think most people are orbiting that these days! I think one of the beauties of Israel is the public determination to strive in hope. Itโ€™s certainly the feeling I get when I travel there (but that was all pre-Oct 7).

Freedom Lover's avatar

It's a bit of a leap from not trusting institutions to supporting cold blooded murder.

Alfred, Lord Featherstonehaugh's avatar

To some extent, I agree Doug, but I donโ€™t think the young are the only demographic where youโ€™ll find one person willing to โ€œtake the law into his own handsโ€ when ten thousand see no impartial legal system.

User's avatar
Comment removed
Feb 11, 2025
Comment removed
David Michael Swindle ๐Ÿชฌ๐ŸŒ€๐ŸŸฆ ๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰๐Ÿฆ‰'s avatar

I hear you. I was a pretty wild right-wing hellraiser 15 years ago too. I guess the key difference that Iโ€™m highlighting here is that this generation is just starting from a lower level of religiosity than previous ones. Political ideology is downstream from religious ideology, IMHO.