State of the Dis-Union

       Political pundits and the news anchors on the various media outlets have been having a field day as the Republican Presidential candidates duke it out in the political ring, reaching for their party's nomination. All of the candidates have different backgrounds, a variety of experiences, and at times conflicting personalities yet they all agree that the direction in which the United States is headed is not favorable and needs to be stopped. While the plans of action to right the sinking ship vary from one candidate to another, they all basically agree that the national economy is in dire straits and the current administration's dealing with the outside world is frightening if not downright dangerous.
       It seems to me however, that all of these theories about what is wrong with our country and how it ought to be fixed are quite lacking.
It is true enough that the United States economy is in sorry shape. It is likewise the case that abroad there is great turmoil and potential danger to our own lives. Finally, there are some who argue that there are grave dangers within our nation such as abortion, increased government size and power, and the advance of government on the rights of its citizens. All of these are most surely clear and present dangers by which we are faced.
        I saw a 'demotivator poster' the other day relevant to this discussion that evoked an ironic chuckle from me. The poster was of a beautiful snapshot of the Capitol building in Washington D.C. taken from a bit of a distance with the building reflected in the water. It was actually the line of text written below the poster that evoked the chuckle from me, for it read something along the lines of, "If you think government has caused big problems, just wait until you see our solutions." While the poster is obviously meant to be humorous yet also point to a truth, I would like to draw a truth from this line that perhaps the creator of the poster did not intend but I think is poignant nonetheless.
       The point is, that perhaps the reason government solutions so often fail is not because they are poor solutions but rather they do not address the root of the problem. Perhaps it is possible that the government is not in fact the problem and that they propose solutions that theoretically ought to work to grow the economy, keep our country safe, and to ensure the inalienable rights of each individual. Maybe we ought to consider the possibility that the problem lies with the people, each individual citizen of the United States. So what, one might ask, is this problem? What is such a big deal that it thwarts the efforts of so many politicians to right the listing ship?
        Rather than continue to debate possible solutions to the aforementioned problems, it would behoove Americans to consider whether the case is other than it seems. I do not believe that the current moral state of our nation allows for leaders who will implement effective strategies to benefit the United States of America. There may be one or two holding office that come up with good solutions because they understand the deeper problem. The United States will not have a flourishing economy, a safe society, recognition of inalienable rights, a living wage, food and shelter, and enough comfort as long as we persist in the anything goes lifestyles which have become common. Our society cannot remain intact as long as principles are discarded for fancy. Fancy is flighty, flitting from one extreme to the next never resting long enough to examine its trajectory. Because of this any solution presented by the government is one that is supposed to get the economic, social, and security train back on the tracks as soon as possible so that each American can go back to enjoying his Tivo-ed football game or television show or perhaps his animalic dancing at the night club or beastly pursuit of pleasure. My dear America, can you not see that there is an issue so fundamental and so deep that it is destroying you from within? America has lost its heart and replaced it with grasping at various vanities.
       Where do we start as Americans to address this terrifying trend? First it is necessary to admit that the problem is more deeply seated than inadequate policies or false ideas of government involvement and size. Secondly, each person must try and live life to the fullest, to the best of their ability. This means, developing one's talents and making use of them for the good of others. Of course, the real difficulty here is the ability to understand the good. In our current situation, people cannot agree even with themselves about what is good. Many even go so far to make the inherently contradictory claim that there is not one truth and that truth depends on the individual. How then are we supposed to address this gross lack of understanding of the good and ability to discern right and wrong?
       I propose a radically old adaptation of teaching and learning. It is of course important that students learn to seek answers themselves and to reason to discover the answers to questions. However, while this approach is most popular in our modern society, students are being encouraged to think for themselves and to discover what is true for them. These students are being done a tremendous disservice, for how is one supposed to use their reason if they have never learned what their reason is and how it works? How would one operate a new machine with no directions or labels without instruction. Parents do not usually throw a child in a rushing river and tell them to swim... such an idea is preposterous. Why is it more acceptable to throw a student into the much more overwhelming world of knowledge and tell them to find their way. Students need to be told what they ought to learn before beginning on an exploration expedition to learn the truth. They need to understand logic, contradictions, and fallacies. Learning to speak and write well is essential to communicating ideas but also to understanding those ideas communicated by others. Students need most importantly to be taught basic principles, basic truths; truths that are to some degree self-evident yet not obvious. People need to know how to learn and then what it is that is important to know.
       I propose that Americans undertake a lesson in humility and begin to learn from the beginning. While politicians squabble about money, theories, wars, jobs, and a whole host of issues, and even when they speak about education, they miss the point. Modern men do not seem to understand what it means to learn nor what it is that is important to learn. America and indeed the world needs to take time for silence to reflect on the current situation honestly, leaving aside prejudices and party lines to discern what are those principles that truly are timeless and imperative to a good and just society.