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Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Is our culture in decline?

In my opinion, we are busy 'evolving' into technological barbarians. From the ANC's rhetoric of violence (if Zuma is found guilty or does not become president of South Africa) to public toilet use, the evidence stands as a monument to our cultural demise.

Even though the world is growing technologically, it has become abundantly clear that technology (or the lack thereof) does not define a barbarian.
Barbarians lack the ability to govern themselves, the ability to follow the law and what is right, when no one is looking. The fact that more and more laws need to be enacted shows that people can no longer be self-governing individuals and need to be governed from the outside.

Don't think that only the big issues such as abortion, pornography, sodomy (or sodo-marriage) and other "big" immoral issues are the only indicators of a declining culture!
Smaller things are also indicators of such a decline into barbarianism. Areas in which one would think it would be easy to exercise self-governance are good indicators of this downward trend.

Simple things such as skipping red traffic lights show that we have lost that inner governing ability of a civilised people. It is a clear indication that people simply do not care about law. Jesus said something very interesting. "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much." (Luke 16:10) When people cannot faithfully govern themselves, why should they be entrusted with anything more than that?

Public toilets are also an indication of our cultural decline. It is becoming increasingly difficult to enter public toilets at malls and to find one that is clean and usable. Don't men lift toilet seats anymore, or can't they aim anymore? Even where I work (business complex with several companies), I have resorted to buying antibacterial wipes for use on toilet seats. I have found the toilet seats soiled many times. How much does it take to just look down at the toilet after getting up to ensure that it is left clean?

When I was a child, my mother always taught me to leave things better than the condition I found them in. That is no longer an idea that is popular. Next time you are in the parking lot of a shopping mall, have a look at those shopping carts standing around. Many of them are left standing in the middle of parking spots. Even when there are places where these carts can be taken, people leave them right there next to where they parked and drive off without any regard for others that need to park there!

I think that one of the major driving forces towards a declining culture is its level of selfishness or its hedonistic tendencies. With these two driving forces, people easily lose their respect of others and think only of themselves. The end result is that anything goes as long as it is pleasing to themselves! Life becomes a rush after self-pleasing activities, whether such activities encroach on the so-called "rights" of others or not.

If we do not find a way to stop this decline, then the next step will be anarchy, where those that said they will kill for Zuma will actually follow through with their vitriolic outbursts. Perhaps we are there already!?

May God have mercy on us!

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