A new Gallup Poll and editorial article was put out that examined the impact of shifts in American culture. The poll questions whether systems and structural institutions are the reasons for societal dysfunction over people's own individual actions. The article also looked at wealth, race, life chances, and other factors in determining a persons accomplishments. My opinion is more inline with the article that Americans are more focused on assessing blame for outcomes they don't like.
"If structures and systems are to blame, then where does it lie? Does it start with our education system, where we're spending more time talking about the negative things in our country, as oppose to the founding principles that we try to aspire to and achieve... Is it simply just excuses that are being made for individual choices? When someone picks up a gun and ends up shooting somebody, is that a result of these institutions, these structures, these systems that are out there? Are we looking at the frailties of the systems, trying to assess blame, and trying to equate that to these differential outcomes that we're unhappy with?"
"I don't think anyone can argue the fact that we need a system of governance. We need the systems to provide some order and structure in our society today. Without them, what would happen? What would be the situation if there was no governance model at all. You've heard me say that skepticism and cynicism can be healthy. We shouldn't be completely focused on the negative all the time. It's a lot easier to criticize than it is to build. It's easier to criticize than it is to come up with a forward leaning strategy in addressing a problem... It's a lot easier to criticize than it is to look at oneself in the mirror and to be honest with oneself, but in the end it's a balance in life."
"When I go back and assess my life and my life choices, I can't think of one that was actually determined by others. These were life choices that I made. There were mistakes that I made. There were successes that I achieved. Yes, working within a confines of a system to a certain extent, because the overarching laws of this country and everything else. Was there a deviation from a straight line in my life? There's probably a deviation from a straight line in everyone's life. When are we going to step up and accept the responsibilities of our own actions and stop blaming systems, structures, and governance for outcomes that we simply don't like?
"I'm the center of no universe and neither are you... When we see these shifting changes in norms relative to society, what we are willing to accept? This individual choice that we talk about sometimes comes at a price and systems sometimes are slower to react, but I'm not so sure that the slowness in the response is actually worthy of blame.
Hear the entire audio clip in the audio player below.
