This article will investigate two interwoven themes: first, what makes a society ‘civilized,’ and second, what are the ways that our society consistently undermines these qualities and instead creates anger, fear, and violence?
Put differently: Which human qualities and choices lead to ‘civilized’ behavior — and why do we often reject them, and instead embrace qualities and choices that encourage awful ‘uncivilized’ behavior?
The reason I want to write on this subject is simple: all around the globe, and especially in America, ‘civilized’ society and behavior look (and feel) like they’re starting to collapse. Before we slide much further down this slippery slope into tyranny and surging chaos, we need to understand what’s happening within and around us — and hopefully change our direction.
For centuries now, we Americans have been ever-so-slowly inching towards a truly equitable society based on full equality and equal opportunity. Yet it seems like it’s always been two steps forward, 1.99999 back. Progress has been incredibly sloooooww — and sometimes (like today) goes into reverse.
I propose that the true measure of a ‘civilized’ society is the degree to which it embraces and fully supports equality and inclusiveness, and not only accepts but revels in the vast diversity of races, cultures, ethnicities, and religions that exist on our planet. (Isn’t it stupefying/horrifying that today’s GOP is hell-bent on erasing all so-called DEI — Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion — programs from our public lives?! That’s going into reverse.)
A wonderful, inclusive, and SAFE ‘culture salad’
Consider: What happened to the glorious idea of America as a ‘melting pot,’ in which people of all races, colors, and religions could come together and live alongside each other in peace?
Another similar vision — which I prefer — is that of a vast, wonderful ‘culture salad’ that we can choose to embrace and enjoy, which allows for all types and versions of ‘being human’ and encourages us to accept and enjoy all of them equally. Instead of our fabulous diversity and differences being seen as problems, in this view they are seen as vital, enjoyable facets of life that strengthen and expand our lives and make society that much more fulfilling.
This kind of deliberately inclusive, open-minded attitude and social structure leads directly to another crucial attribute of ‘civilized’ society — and that’s the feeling and reality of personal and physical safety.
In an open, inclusive society, no one is excluded or ‘less than,’ all people are treated as equal, and no one is subjected to overt discrimination or harassment. And being included, respected, treated as equal, and not being judged, attacked, or harassed lead to … feeling safe and accepted.
In any society, inclusiveness/respect and overall safety always go hand-in-hand — and conversely, prejudice, exclusivity (excluding certain ‘others’), and discrimination inevitably go hand-in-hand with fear, hate, and lack of emotional and/or physical safety.
In a society built on hierarchies, racism, exclusion, and discrimination, it is literally impossible for all citizens to feel accepted and safe. Thus, it’s impossible for such a society to be truly civilized. It really is that simple.
Severe ‘democratic backsliding’ is accelerating
There was a time, not that long ago, when most Americans believed in our inclusive founding ideals and vision — and were working to make them real.
For a brief while, in the late 20th and very early 21st century, democracy and more inclusive, egalitarian ideals were ascendant in the U.S. and were also taking hold in many areas around the world.
Yet over the past decade, many of these democratic (small ‘d’) and inclusive social advances have been foundering, and many societies around the globe — including the U.S. — are now experiencing severe ‘democratic backsliding.’
That’s a polite and semi-technical way to say that autocracy, tyranny, and strong-man rule are on the rise, and our civilized and inclusive ‘democratic’ behaviors are waning or struggling — and along with them, our sense of social and personal safety.
Technological progress does not automatically make us more ‘civilized’
But what led up to this? Part of the problem, it seems to me, is that over the last century in particular — from just after World War I up to the present — Americans have labored under the powerful delusion that our vast industrial and technological progress automatically made us more and more ‘civilized.’
In a way, our manic focus on endless external progress and ‘improvements’ is a huge con game — a tremendous diversion and illusion that causes us to imagine that we’re becoming more and more civilized … while our actual inner state and outward behavior show that nothing of the sort is happening!
Overall, our inner lives and our morality have remained ‘stuck’ in place — or have even been regressing.
For instance, over the past decade ‘smartphones’ have spread around the world, and while these devices may be super-‘smart,’ they’re (bizarrely) causing their human users to get dumber — and often meaner, crueler, and more unhappy. The more people retreat into their devices and screens, apparently, the more separate, frustrated, and unhappy we’re becoming.
A devastating retreat from reality
And there’s the rub: retreat. Today our personal devices don’t often actually bring us together (though they sometimes can function this way) or increase our sense of belonging and community; instead, they usually amplify our inner sense of separateness and isolation, while simultaneously convincing us that we’re more connected than ever before.
Like I said: delusion reigns. We’re in hiding from reality. We hide behind our screens and devices, and are in full retreat from both nature and society — yet at the same time, we firmly believe we’re ‘communicating’ more and becoming ever more ‘civilized’!
Sorry, but that’s clearly not true — either the ‘communicating more’ part OR the ‘becoming ever more civilized’ part. Both of these beliefs are merely comforting lies we tell ourselves — so we can look in the mirror and not see the uncivilized, amoral barbarians that we are actually and rapidly becoming.
The problem is, American society is, and has always been, barely civilized. It’s based on cutthroat competition, racism, greed, and intense individualism, and on the erroneous belief that somehow capitalism and a total focus on individual satisfaction will magically create a wonderful, enjoyable, and civilized society.
Nope: more delusional thinking.
As a ‘civilized’ society the U.S. is an abject failure
What creates a ‘wonderful, enjoyable, and civilized society’ is people working together and cooperating to build a society that includes everyone, supports the growth, health, and safety of all, and provides truly equal opportunity. And guess what, in ALL these areas America is sorely lacking and failing miserably.
Yes, as a ‘civilized’ society the U.S. is a total, abject failure. There’s no nicer or gentler way to put it. We call ourselves civilized, and we believe we are civilized — but our actions and ways of communicating (more accurately, not communicating) show conclusively that we are primarily mean-spirited, cruel, judgmental, and/or racist barbarians dressed up to look civilized.
Civilization requires cooperation, loving attention, and a shared spirit of inclusiveness and respect — an effective, shared ‘social contract.’ That’s what real civilization requires and demands. What we have now, especially in America, is a cheap, ineffectual impostor that preens, struts, puffs out its chest, and loudly proclaims how ‘civilized’ it is.
But it’s all a lie. It’s a sham, an escape, and a total illusion. As Jesus famously said so long ago, “By their fruits shall ye know them.” And our highly UNcivilized fruits — our sad, cruel antisocial tendencies and creations — are being revealed now, in all their ugliness and intolerance.
As M. Gandhi once replied to an inquiring reporter: “What do I think of western civilization? I think it would be a good idea.”
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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From The Good Men Project on Medium
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Photo credit: Shalom de León on Unsplash
