Decline and fall
by Jon Worley

Man, I am so tired of trying to explain the point of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to people. Yes, the movie wasn't a pretty sight. Yeah, it rambled sometimes when it shoulda zung (that's zung with a z, the past tense of zing). But it still managed to be a damned fine movie. Why? It pointed out precisely why America is in decline. The death of the American dream, in action.

For years, we've been told that the increase in violent crime, the decline of general moral standards and a basic lack of civility are the cause of our failings as a society. If only more people would stay married and not have abortions, America will become great again.

But this approach confuses symptoms for causes. I would dispute the numbers and the sense that America is more amoral today than a generation ago (watch the original 12 Angry Men and you hear the same bitching about "the kids today" and "those people"), but I don't argue that our nation's place in the world is failing somewhat. Not in a foreign policy or military sense, but in a moral one. You see, our society no longer aspires to anything.

We glory in safety. The security industry has grown at an exponential rate when compared to the information sector, the most robust part of our economy. Now everyone needs alarms on cars and houses, a guard at the gate of the "neighborhood" and two charges of pepper spray just to get to work with peace of mind. Folks are buying guns at record rates, and gun clubs report high business. Shooting the bad guy (over and over again) has replaced a quiet afternoon at the park as a prime recreational activity.

In short, we have stopped building roads and bridges and have concentrated on building walls. When all the walls are finished, we will have nothing left to build and no reason to build anything. I know, this is a pretty keen metaphor, but it's even true. We aren't building any new highways, really. The interstate system is done. Most of the highway money spent on new construction goes into building loops, highways which serve as walls to keep the suburbs protected from the cities. I mean, when metaphors become reality, it's plain that there are problems.

Lots of folks point to the fall of Rome as a fallback historical rationale for pontification and "moral" speechifying. But come on, folks. Rome didn't fall because of the sex habits of a few kinky emperors. Rome fell because it couldn't maintain the empire. And it couldn't maintain the empire because the citizens sat back and enjoyed the largesse of conquest. The money ran out, as it always does. The soldiers couldn't be paid and Rome was sacked. Many times.

Already, we have heard the distinctly American clarion call to failure. Retreat from the public schools, they can't be saved. Don't give kids more money for college, they'll just spend it on drugs. Take all the "bad" guys and lock them up forever. These are the ravings of a paranoid society, a society which refuses to face its problems. We prefer running away. Hiding behind walls. Safety first is our motto. Safety above all else.

Life is a contact sport. I didn't think of that myself, I recycled it from somewhere (probably a Nike ad or something). We need to find a purpose again. Like going to the moon. Or populating the west (if you'll indulge the more xenophobic elements of that particular quest). Or creating the first modern republic. See, the American people have accomplished some pretty cool things. We managed to craft a fairly unified community based on all of our personal differences. With the possible exception of the Netherlands, the United States has the most peaceful interaction between people of all races, colors and creeds. This is a good thing.

But we've stagnated. The vast majority of the people don't have to fight for their food. Hell, I'm a case in point. I don't have a regular job. I don't get paid a lot of money when I sell some writing or finish a computer graphics project. But despite my lack of breadwinning instincts, my wife and I are fairly well-off. And she's a journalist, which isn't among the better-paying professions (but it is, indeed, white-collar). I suppose I could take some make-work job, but I don't feel like it. And I don't have to. My wife likes her career, and I like my anti-career. This approach works for us.

The difference between us and our fairly affluent society is that my wife and I have individual and collective dreams. The American People, generally and individually, don't. Well, perhaps one: Make a lot of money. Chase after an arbitrary (and ultimately artificial) goal. Is that really a moral quest? I don't think so. These days, what stands for progress is another monster business merger or a bigger, faster computer. In other words, nothing. We haven't done a damned thing as a people in a long time, and I think we should try.

I've got ideas. We could lead the world in environmental reforms, or merely create a national health care system. Obviously, a mission to Mars might rev us up for a little while. Perhaps create an educational system which recognizes a variety of pursuits, whether intellectual, vocational, artistic, social or athletic and allows everyone to find his or her niche.

Yeah, we've been stagnating. It's our own damn fault for being so complacent. We've gotta shake off the cobwebs and actually get together and do something. Now! It's time to be a spirit, not a ghost. I stole that phrase from Bulworth. See, even my rhetoric is recycled. Definitely time to get going. Somewhere. Anywhere. As long as it's not where we're at right now.

Jon Worley would like to encourage every damned person in the United States of America to go see Bulworth. Yes, it's really that good.

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