The Spoiling of a Culture

Prosperity, believe it or not, has it's negatives. Long periods of prosperity in a society can often turn a culture into that of a hedonistic, pleasure-oriented, vanity saturated, and decadent populace. Prosperity often brings an over abundance of resources like food and entertainment.

       A detrimental consequence of this is we don't have to work as hard to survive, thriving becomes almost an inherited given for the majority of people, and we lose the need to hone our mental and physical faculties and capabilities. A blunt and quite politically incorrect simplification of this consequence is we become fat and stupid because of our overabundance of resources and the presence of relatively efficient security preventing most threats from becoming systemic problems for a majority of people in society.

           Prosperity spoils us in this regard. Not only is the need for mental and physical prowess and resourcefulness diminished by the overabundance of resources and relative security, our politics and academia become preoccupied by trivialities and social wedge issues that have no significant bearing on the long term stability and sustainability of a culture and nation. 

       Because of the massive abundance of resources and effective security practices,  political and academic issues prioritize the advocation and implementation of issues and policies that are quite vain and some even damaging to a healthy social paradigm, and most of these divisive issues detract significantly from policies that really matter in the long term sustainability of our nation and humanity as a whole. 

           The tragic irony is that policies that increase prosperity also increase the decadence, hedonic vanity, and the political and social trivialities that lead to the degradation of societies, ripening the social fabric for, and increasing its susceptibility to, being blindsided by adversities like natural disasters, pandemics, and war.

     One of the reasons there is a perpetual human cycle of adversity/struggle/conflict/conflict-resolution/prosperity/adversity....so on and so on, is because of the decadence, fattening, and dumbing down of a population which is always a natural product of immense prosperity, effective security, and overabundance of commodities like food and entertainment. 

           Our success and triumph over one adversity and challenge, tragically and ironically, often sows the seeds of our future failures and unpreparedness for future adversity. This is why adversity isn't always a bad thing. It unspoils a spoiled culture, just like trials and difficulties unspoil a spoiled individual. It refreshes us and breaks the cycle of decadence, hedonism, and laziness which weakens and degrades the citizenry of a nation.

        I have struggled a lot in my life, and even with my history of trials, I am learning to embrace adversity and challenge. It forces me to adapt and it strengthens my character and resolve for a better life. One thing I've learned in my study of history is that it's not the times of prosperity and peace that are focused on and remembered the most. It is the times of adversity, struggle, and triumph over challenges that bring the prosperity that is talked about and sung about and dramatized in plays and movies. 

       When you look back on your life, you won't focus on the weeks spent in front of the TV or the all-you-can-eat buffets that you attend. I can almost guarantee you it will be your triumphs and accomplishments that will bring you the most savorable memories and those proud stories you tell your kids. Prosperity will inevitably spoil us as individuals and as a nation. Adversity and tribulations unspoil us, and remind us of what is really important, like our relationship with God and our family and friends. 

        There is a great utility in getting your ass kicked every once in a while. It humbles you, unspoils you, galvanizes you into action and is a catalyst for positive change, and kicks the pedastal of superiority you put yourself on and hold over others you deem inferior right out from under your feet, and your arrogance is brought down a notch or two. These aren't necessarily bad things, both for individuals as well as nations, even if there are some unfortunate detriments and losses involved. 

        Even so, the loss of innocent life is never something that can be justified entirely, and I offer my heartfelt condolences to the victims of this pandemic and the victims of the economic fallout of it. God bless you all and godspeed to the heroes of the world fighting to protect and heal the weak and vulnerable.