Trajectory of the USA

[Soandso]

Do you feel that the USA is heading in an overall positive or negative direction? Ofcourse there are many things that play in as a factor. Societal issues, economic issues, and every other issue in between. Some things matter to some people more than others

I look over time at the freedoms we now have when compared to before, but at the same times other freedoms have gone away or are threatened. Wages aren't matching the overall cost of living increases to the point where many in their 20s and 30s are having to move back in with their parents or live with roommates just to be able to afford to live, yet many useful things have become much more affordable when compared to before such as cellphones and computers

Personally I see things half glass full. I do think many things are improving. I feel though that it's not been a smooth journey. The country's been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, but it's been heading that way regardless as I see it

What do you think? What factors lead you to give the answer you give?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Do you feel that the USA is heading in an overall positive or negative direction? Ofcourse there are many things that play in as a factor. Societal issues, economic issues, and every other issue in between. Some things matter to some people more than others

I look over time at the freedoms we now have when compared to before, but at the same times other freedoms have gone away or are threatened. Wages aren't matching the overall cost of living increases to the point where many in their 20s and 30s are having to move back in with their parents or live with roommates just to be able to afford to live, yet many useful things have become much more affordable when compared to before such as cellphones and computers

Personally I see things half glass full. I do think many things are improving. I feel though that it's not been a smooth journey. The country's been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, but it's been heading that way regardless as I see it

What do you think? What factors lead you to give the answer you give?

No. For two major reasons.

One. The Fermi Paradox.

Two. America's ability for domestic and international protection , are being challenged now. A sign that some very nasty countries are gaining more and more strength without impediment and essentially are now unabated in increasing that strength for the foreseeable future. Very dangerous scenario.

 

[PureX]

I'm 65 years old, and have only seen the U.S. deteriorating economically throughout my entire lifetime. And it's reached the point where many cities are now in crisis, swamped with homeless drug addicts living in boxes, tents, and garbage heaps. And many smaller towns all across the country that are beyond crisis, to the point of becoming 'ghost towns' with just a few scattered falling down shacks with drunks and drug addicts living in them. Or old people on social security waiting to die.

Anyone that was not born a white male in these last 65 years (and long before) has had to fight tirelessly and often to the death, decade after decade, just to try and gain an equal share of freedom, justice, and opportunity in our society. And many of them are still fighting for that cause. Because they still are not being afforded those rights. (Progress has been made, for sure, but the resistance to it never stops.)

Wealth has become 'weaponized' and everyone is the enemy, now. And really it's been coming on since the dawn of the industrial revolution. The combination of industrialism and capitalism have ushered in a kind of dystopian neo-feudalism that's slowly redefining humanity all across the globe. And we are back-sliding into a new dark age.

 

[Stevicus]

Do you feel that the USA is heading in an overall positive or negative direction? Ofcourse there are many things that play in as a factor. Societal issues, economic issues, and every other issue in between. Some things matter to some people more than others

I look over time at the freedoms we now have when compared to before, but at the same times other freedoms have gone away or are threatened. Wages aren't matching the overall cost of living increases to the point where many in their 20s and 30s are having to move back in with their parents or live with roommates just to be able to afford to live, yet many useful things have become much more affordable when compared to before such as cellphones and computers

Personally I see things half glass full. I do think many things are improving. I feel though that it's not been a smooth journey. The country's been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, but it's been heading that way regardless as I see it

What do you think? What factors lead you to give the answer you give?

Well, there are a few different ways of looking at it and answering these questions. One can look at it economically and ask whether the quality of life is optimal. How does the quality of housing, education, healthcare, transportation, technology, and other key factors compare to other industrialized nations? At one point, Americans used to pride themselves as being the best in many categories, but if we're slipping in the rankings and losing ground compared to other countries, then I would see that as prima facie evidence of the country moving in the wrong direction.

In 1969, America sent a man to the Moon. Based on reasonable predictions at the time, most people thought we'd have a man on Mars and/or a permanent base on the Moon by 2000, but that didn't happen. Something obviously went wrong and America changed direction, for whatever reason. That would also indicate some underlying serious problem which hasn't really been addressed in earnest.

We used to have booming industries, but that's all been sent overseas, which would yet be another indication of going in the wrong direction. That's due to regressive thinking and an apparent desire to undermine America's industrial infrastructure. This is a clear sign that the Powers That Be want America to go backward, not forward.

Fiscally, America has been drowning in red ink for decades, running up huge public debts. Such reckless fiscal irresponsibility is also an indicator of going in the wrong direction. The right direction would be reducing our debts, not adding to them.

Even America's military prowess, once the envy of the entire world, has faltered in more recent times. We defeated Germany and Japan in less than four years, yet we seemed to struggle immensely with much smaller powers in recent times. The only real victory our military can claim since WW2 is their glorious defeat of the mighty island nation of Grenada. That's pretty sad, when you think about it, but it's yet another indicator that America's best days are behind her.

 

[Twilight Hue]

I'm 65 years old, and have only seen the U.S. deteriorating economically throughout my entire lifetime. And it's reached the point where many cities are now in crisis, swamped with homeless drug addicts living in boxes, tents, and garbage heaps. And many smaller towns all across the country that are beyond crisis, to the point of becoming 'ghost towns' with just a few scattered falling down shacks with drunks and drug addicts living in them. Or old people on social security waiting to die.

Anyone that was not born a white male in these last 65 years (and long before) has had to fight tirelessly and often to the death decade after decade just to try and gain equal freedom, justice, and opportunity in our society. And many of them are still fighting for that cause. Because they still are not being afforded those rights. (Progress has been made, for sure, but the resistance to it never stops.)

Wealth has become 'weaponized' and everyone is the enemy, now. And really it's been this way since the dawn of the industrial revolution. The combination of industrialism and capitalism have ushered in a kind of dystopian neo-feudalism that's slowly redefining humanity all across the globe. And we are back-sliding into a new dark age.

I agree with most of it. Particularly the expanse involving personal income and the means to survive with a relative means of comfort for every individual.

I would love to see the ideologies behind the pursuit of happiness become a reality.

 

[Twilight Hue]

Well, there are a few different ways of looking at it and answering these questions. One can look at it economically and ask whether the quality of life is optimal. How does the quality of housing, education, healthcare, transportation, technology, and other key factors compare to other industrialized nations? At one point, Americans used to pride themselves as being the best in many categories, but if we're slipping in the rankings and losing ground compared to other countries, then I would see that as prima facie evidence of the country moving in the wrong direction.

In 1969, America sent a man to the Moon. Based on reasonable predictions at the time, most people thought we'd have a man on Mars and/or a permanent base on the Moon by 2000, but that didn't happen. Something obviously went wrong and America changed direction, for whatever reason. That would also indicate some underlying serious problem which hasn't really been addressed in earnest.

We used to have booming industries, but that's all been sent overseas, which would yet be another indication of going in the wrong direction. That's due to regressive thinking and an apparent desire to undermine America's industrial infrastructure. This is a clear sign that the Powers That Be want America to go backward, not forward.

Fiscally, America has been drowning in red ink for decades, running up huge public debts. Such reckless fiscal irresponsibility is also an indicator of going in the wrong direction. The right direction would be reducing our debts, not adding to them.

Even America's military prowess, once the envy of the entire world, has faltered in more recent times. We defeated Germany and Japan in less than four years, yet we seemed to struggle immensely with much smaller powers in recent times. The only real victory our military can claim since WW2 is their glorious defeat of the mighty island nation of Grenada. That's pretty sad, when you think about it, but it's yet another indicator that America's best days are behind her.

Imagine a world without a strong America.

Another country will fill that vacuum guaranteed, and I sure the hell hope it isn't China or Russia.

https://fsi.stanford.edu/news/understanding-global-rise-authoritarianism

We are not living in a safe world anymore.

 

[Wildswanderer]

We need some leadership that aren't corrupt and owned by foreign interests. That would be a start.

 

[Brickjectivity]

What do you think? What factors lead you to give the answer you give?

Long term I think it is about the same, because I believe in something like the pendulum theory. The country is on a search for the more perfect union, and like an ant it sweeps left and right searching for the next step on a path. As it swings too far it then turns back the other way, eventually swinging too far the other way and then again but less so. Finally it takes a step forward. Then the process continues.

Another analogy is that of spiraling upwards around a mountain in order to reach a higher plain. We go around, each time only a little higher. Sometimes we go down a little, too; because the path is not perfect. There are hollows. There are also times when we stop moving. We go to the south side, then the east, then the north, then the west, then back to the south. Meanwhile people say things like "Weren't we just here?" or "Can we take a break, please?"

One problem is that we humans keep dying, so a lot of hard earned lessons are continually getting forgotten. Therefore we often repeat mistakes as a nation and as individual states, as cities, as counties and as institutions. We repeat. We repeat.

The search for a more perfect union continues.

 

[fantome profane]

I have been very critical of the U.S., so it may surprise some people (if anyone has noticed) that I think overall they are heading in the right direction.

A metaphor would be a car driving up a gentle slope, but inches away from falling off a cliff.

And some are trying their best to drive off road.

 

[sun rise]

I have a complicated answer. Short term and on the surface things are clearly moving in the wrong direction.

But as a nation, we've been in trouble before. My belief is that long term we'll overcome our current problems.

 

[Soandso]

I have been very critical of the U.S., so it may surprise some people (if anyone has noticed) that I think overall they are heading in the right direction.

A metaphor would be a car driving up a gentle slope, but inches away from falling off a cliff.
View attachment 71762

And some are trying their best to drive off road.

I have a complicated answer. Short term and on the surface things are clearly moving in the wrong direction.

But as a nation, we've been in trouble before. My belief is that long term we'll overcome our current problems.

These are generally my feelings too, and with the newest generation I feel hopeful. I feel more excitement for the future than trepidation

 

[Father Heathen]

Another country will fill that vacuum guaranteed, and I sure the hell hope it isn't China or Russia.

Tinfoil hat time: What if Russia legitimately does have a lot of influence over the republicans, and China in turn has a lot over the democrats?

 

[Twilight Hue]

Tinfoil hat time: What if Russia legitimately does have a lot of influence over the republicans, and China in turn has a lot over the democrats?

And Russia is pretty chummy with China.

I think your on to something.

 

[amorphous_constellation]

Do you feel that the USA is heading in an overall positive or negative direction? Ofcourse there are many things that play in as a factor. Societal issues, economic issues, and every other issue in between. Some things matter to some people more than others

I look over time at the freedoms we now have when compared to before, but at the same times other freedoms have gone away or are threatened. Wages aren't matching the overall cost of living increases to the point where many in their 20s and 30s are having to move back in with their parents or live with roommates just to be able to afford to live, yet many useful things have become much more affordable when compared to before such as cellphones and computers

Personally I see things half glass full. I do think many things are improving. I feel though that it's not been a smooth journey. The country's been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, but it's been heading that way regardless as I see it

What do you think? What factors lead you to give the answer you give?

In my opinion, according to what I sense, but have trouble fully articulating, our problems have something to do with the impact of new technology in our lives: specifically the need to make them efficient, and make them grow the economy. I am starting to now understand that maybe, we should view technological power as a gratuity, and not an economic opportunity.

For example, with that train that crashed in ohio, it seems like all the problems there stem from this: stretching material power into efficiency and precision, obviously beyond what was reasonable. Brakes fail, or rail-lines fail, or things bungle up, because the train is undermanned and too long. The specifics don't matter, in the context of the abstract background of it: the economy must grow, and it demands speed, efficiently, and the stretching of material/natural/mathematical laws. It doesn't see technological ability as a mere gratuity

I propose a solution, perhaps via religion. Religion is, actually, possibly, mostly about debating the most efficient and precise way to accomplish a physical action. This had never really occurred to me until now, but it seems like it's mostly true. Think back to the long lists of laws in the Old Testament: it's really mostly about making humans take detours, where they could do a task more directly. It involved the latest technologies, of that time.

So I guess what we need to maybe do, is start thinking about technology in a far more theological sense, because otherwise, we will make demands of it the point, where it will break itself, and possibly us. And I'm not entirely sure about all the details of how this would work, but maybe it would have to be composed of highly detailed tracts, like you would see in leviticus or deuteronomy.

 

[Stevicus]

Imagine a world without a strong America.

Another country will fill that vacuum guaranteed, and I sure the hell hope it isn't China or Russia.

https://fsi.stanford.edu/news/understanding-global-rise-authoritarianism

We are not living in a safe world anymore.

Interesting article.

On the future:

There's a lot of reason to be concerned that the overall trajectory of society globally is still moving in the wrong direction. What makes me optimistic, though, is that I don't believe that that's how most people want to live. And I also find, in most places – not all places, but most places – generationally, there's an overwhelming preference to not live like that. If we can hold the line and weather the storm for the next few years, and begin to figure out some structural things like, I do think we can come through in the backend to a place where the pendulum starts swinging pretty hard in the other direction.

One thing I try to keep in mind whenever I see articles lamenting the rise of authoritarianism or the loss of democracy is that, for most of world history, people were never really free as we understand it in modern times. It wasn't really until the Enlightenment that human societies started heading in that direction. The battle cry of the French Revolution - Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity - such ideas started to spread throughout the 18th and 19th centuries and influenced our modern perceptions about freedom and democracy. So, for about 100,000 years of human history, we've only really talked about freedom for the past 200-300 years, and we've never really fully practiced it in earnest. In any case, the vast majority of humanity's existence on Earth has been not free. Not being free is the default for human societies throughout most of known history. This "freedom" idea is relatively new and untested.

Absolute freedom and liberty are impractical and impossible, so the best we can do is have it "kinda sorta." We also don't really have true democracy either, as it's indirect, representative "kinda sorta" democracy.

The writer ends on a hopeful note in that they say "I don't believe that that's how most people want to live." I can agree with that. Just as the song goes, "People everywhere just want to be free." But people also want law and order. They want to be protected from criminals and external enemies. They want their society's leaders to facilitate access to vital resources for the survival and sustenance of the people.

One of the main problems we have in America is that we want to eat our cake and have it, too. And that's just not possible in the long run.

We want to remain free, benevolent, generous, compassionate, and wealthy and have a high standard of living, yet in order to do that, we have to safeguard numerous trade routes and a global economic system. We've had to maintain a large, expensive, global military force to protect our national interests, but it appears that we're growing weaker while other countries get stronger. The cracks are beginning to show, and we just can't maintain this indefinitely. We're not invincible, and we need to come to terms with this fact.

 

[Brickjectivity]

Education is valuable. The question is how to accomplish it efficiently and how to provide students with a level of ability in language, reasoning, law, history and in technical subjects. Prepare students to be world class, able to go anywhere and learn anything.

One great thing western schools have contributed is a focus on reason rather than mere memorization. I think that we are too lenient about memorization. Our public schools are also too soft on discipline. I don't think we can keep going that way and must reinstate discipline as opposed to what we are trying to implement now. Make students and parents both behave, both be polite. Teachers should be respected and obeyed.

 

[Stevicus]

Education is valuable. The question is how to accomplish it efficiently and how to provide students with a level of ability in language, reasoning, law, history and in technical subjects. Prepare students to be world class, able to go anywhere and learn anything.

One great thing western schools have contributed is a focus on reason rather than mere memorization. I think that we are too lenient about memorization. Our public schools are also too soft on discipline. I don't think we can keep going that way and must reinstate discipline as opposed to what we are trying to implement now. Make students and parents both behave, both be polite. Teachers should be respected and obeyed.

As far as making students and parents behave, one idea might be to make the parents serve detention along with the students when they misbehave. But in all fairness, the teachers and administrators need to behave as well. Some of them don't. And then there are the school boards. I've noticed in recent years, school board meetings have been quite contentious and even violent on occasion. The right-wing routinely targets anyone on school boards who doesn't toe the line, and they also talk it up about teachers unions being leftist organizations, filled with commies, satanists, and witches.

 

[Brickjectivity]

one idea might be to make the parents serve detention along with the students when they misbehave

Do you mean jail-time for adults? Misdemeanor charges and fines and community service? Interesting. Might work.

And then there are the school boards. I've noticed in recent years, school board meetings have been quite contentious and even violent on occasion.

I know little or nothing about this.

The right-wing routinely targets anyone on school boards who doesn't toe the line, and they also talk it up about teachers unions being leftist organizations, filled with commies, satanists, and witches.

All of which sounds believable. There are Satanists. There are commies. There are witches. (There are even satanist commie witches, like some kind of dagwood sandwich.) I know a one or two here on RF. One of my lunch friends was a witch, way back in 1991. Yeah, in Virginia not New York City. I had a witch or two in my class in community college, too. They're everywhere. And what do their charters say on the internet? Their charters say that they must grow quietly in number until there are so many of them that they are profuse. That's old, public information. There is plenty of material to frighten superstitious parents enough to confront schoolboards. I mean its not an accident that there is a quiet, secretly growing community of witches. I'm not saying its evil or even clever, but it is real and has been around all my life. The 'Right wing' doesn't have to invent any of it whole cloth.

There are teachers unions, and they do tend to the left. They do promote left leaning politicians sometimes and that is a tendency. Republicans don't like it. They haven't imagined it.

Public schools do teach secular humanism. That is a fact. I know mine did way back in 1990. That alone is activism to me. I doubt the right wing cares but their religious parts probably condemn it.

 

[Quintessence]

Eh, it's about the same, as such judgements of so-called "good" and so-called "bad" are ultimately arbitrary and meaningless to just about everyone (often including myself). The world is what it is, regardless of what silly judgements I do (or don't) pass on it. Existence keeps existing, changing constantly in the experience of now. Judge less. Live more. Focus on what matters.

 

[Heyo]

Do you feel that the USA is heading in an overall positive or negative direction? Ofcourse there are many things that play in as a factor. Societal issues, economic issues, and every other issue in between. Some things matter to some people more than others

I look over time at the freedoms we now have when compared to before, but at the same times other freedoms have gone away or are threatened. Wages aren't matching the overall cost of living increases to the point where many in their 20s and 30s are having to move back in with their parents or live with roommates just to be able to afford to live, yet many useful things have become much more affordable when compared to before such as cellphones and computers

Personally I see things half glass full. I do think many things are improving. I feel though that it's not been a smooth journey. The country's been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century, but it's been heading that way regardless as I see it

What do you think? What factors lead you to give the answer you give?

It depends.

Fact is that the US is heading down the drain.
Whether that is a good thing™ depends on the point of view. Seen from the outside, it's good.