Nothing but the truth

Many of us are anxiously waiting for someone to throw us a life ring labeled “leadership” while rapidly being carried farther out to sea by a tidal wave of opportunistic politicians and greedy corporations making a mockery of democracy and the free enterprise system. And then there are those who are mindlessly swimming along with the tide, focusing only on their own goals and oblivious to the sharks in the water. After reading the book, one is convinced of what has been raising our suspicions for a long time — that a great many Americans are disastrously inept at rowing their own boats, often sailing aimlessly, completely without a rudder (Pass the Dramamine!).

“Americans believe, across the board,” say the authors, “that our current political, religious and business leaders have failed us.” How sad that so many of us feel so alone in such a large crowd — feeling so ineffective, so unable to make a difference. Most disturbing, those feelings lead to despair and hopelessness that can allow the aforementioned political and corporate leaders to increasingly have their way with us.

The authors also found that, in general (as today), Americans were focused on themselves and not the total picture. Many wanted to change not only their appearance, but also their station in life. For instance, they were asked: “If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be? Sixty-five percent said wealth, 45 percent education, 32 percent current job, 10 percent sex life and so on. Better person came down at the bottom. When asked to describe their ideal self, the answers were similarly focused externally. Wealthier, thinner, better body, younger, prettier/handsomer topped the list. Those deeper attributes that underlie true fulfillment like honesty, responsibility, compassion, decency hardly registered.

On top of all this, many of the people interviewed for the book complained about the United Stated becoming a greedier, meaner, colder, more selfish and less caring place. They consider a “letdown in moral values” the number one problem facing our country. Most of the people the authors interviewed believed that America had no moral leadership — that our political and moral leaders have let us down dreadfully and that they have failed to provide the kind of leadership that this country must have to remain strong. Americans were giving up on the possibility of ever finding leaders in whom they could believe — the kind that would take the initiative to give them a sense of purpose, a grasp of reality, a feeling that they, as average Americans, counted (I wonder what they are feeling now?).

Such a tragedy that those interviewed for the book (and a great many today) don’t seem to realize what they, as individuals, have had to do with all this. They didn’t seem to see (or didn’t want to see) that our behavior and attitudes have a lot to do with the dysfunction of our society and that many of our institutions reflect our lackadaisical concern with ethics, integrity, etc.

This seems to be related to about the most disturbing finding in the book — that many Americans were very unrealistic. They believed that their own futures would be fine and dandy. “They have become so alienated from the whole that they think they will be individually immune from the fate they believe will befall the nation as a whole,” wrote the authors. Maybe it was necessary for them to think that way to save their sanity, but what does that portend for the future? And the future is now.

The picture painted by Patterson and Kim isn’t pretty. It was depressing to read their findings, but more of us need to face reality and become aware of what is ailing us as individuals and as a society. There is nothing that would bring us out of doldrums faster than an honest, open-minded appraisal of such problems and then taking steps to solve them. The protesters have been trying, but we need more dependable seafaring captains to help us row our leaky boats.

“We could, if we cared enough and had courage enough, create a climate of life through which human beings could so change themselves as to be capable of solving the problems that beset and terrify us.” — Eda LeShan.

Since 1984, Dorothy Dimitre has written more than 900 columns for various local newspapers. Her email address is gramsd@aceweb.com.