Weekly Wisdom | The Social Crisis
According to current data, the American people are facing personal crises in their health, finances, and spiritual lives. And the states and federal government have little trust among American voters due to poor fiscal management and blatant corruption. But there is another crisis - a social crisis - that is as awful personally and for society writ large as the others. While the causes of decreased socialization and increased mental illness are many and varied, the evidence is clear: the United States is currently socially “sick.”
Our anti-social society:
Alcohol consumption is often correctly used as a proxy to measure some degree of socializing taking place. The youngest legal generation - Generation Z - drinks less alcohol than older generations (only about 50% of Generation Z adults drink). Considering this generation is currently in college and is just entering the workforce, this is a potentially concerning trend.
This same generation (and millennials to a lesser degree) spends an average of 9 hours per day on total screen time (television, iPhone, computers, etc.). Boomers, on the other hand, drink a little more than Gen Z while having significantly less total screen time (5 hours). It’s difficult to socialize and meet new friends when a screen of some sort is winning your attention.
The Washington Post's surveys suggest that 93% of Americans believe incivility is an issue and is worsening. When you also consider that growing secularism and leftism are correlated with more narcissistic behaviors, it shouldn’t shock anyone to see that impolite attitudes and behaviors have increased. Leftism, after all, is a political and social ideology that embraces resentment and entitlement.
Unsurprisingly, increased selfishness, reduced socializing, and anti-social behaviors have led to what some researchers call a “friendship recession.” Consider that in 2003, most Americans spent an average of 60 minutes per day with their friends. In 2020, that number stood at 20 minutes per day. 1 out of 10 Americans states they have zero close friends. And considering good friendships are linked to many health benefits, this “recession” is actually a public health issue.
A subset of the ongoing social crisis is the dating crisis that many young people report. On political values, young men and women are as far apart as they’ve been historically. The rise of the “manosphere” and the popularity of its values among young men have led to increasing polarization between the sexes. And when you account for dating apps like Tinder, which skew results towards the top 1% of the dating market, you have a recipe for societal disaster. Family formation, stagnant fertility rates, and low rates of sexual activity are all evidence for this unwelcome reality.
Part of Making America Great Again is an America with a flourishing society. One that is beautiful, respectful, considerate, enjoyable, and moral. The current social decay is similar to the decay in our institutions and other areas of American life: there is little trust or respect for our neighbors or strangers. A happy, healthy society starts with a happy, healthy citizenry. President Trump and his administration must continue to prioritize Americans in all facets so that we can return to a society where everyone is included and we all want to participate.
