The future of this country

Thankfully I am not on Facebook, Twitter, and whatever other social media that gives instant replies. But I see on the news how hateful some of the messages can be. Really now, would these people call up the person and say those things directly voice to voice? It's like the maturity level has been driven down a few notches.

This is what im worried about

https://www.toronto.com/news-story/9801009-family-outraged-by-swastika-drawn-on-uncle-s-head-at-toronto-care-facility/?fbclid=iwar11uzfryhebxnalfvlcvfdfbeqinguxgfjzlqt3p1hmmmffmtifw7t7uym

National flags are flown, by the field workers, in the Ag fields where I live. The only flag you NEVER see them flying is the american flag. Been that way for years too, long before trump was elected. I mostly see Mexico’s flag being flown here.

The Rose Parade had one American flag at the start of the parade.
Only one.

So true. All these news channels slanting things different ways. It's hard to know what to believe, and we need to take some things with a grain of salt.

I think over time, people have become more respectful. The media would tell you otherwise 😉

I agree with WorriedinCali.............if it wasn't for social media, we wouldn't be HEARING all the hate spewing! People might still be FEELING it, but we wouldn't be READING it from people posting comments all over the internet 24/7! The media doesn't help a bit either, with their slanted reporting. I wish we could go back to the days when Walter Cronkite reported and we could believe what he said was the truth. Nowadays, not so much with all these different networks reporting what's supposed to be 'the same news' but in totally different ways.

I believe people are inherently good. Unfortunately, we only hear about the bad apples spoiling it for everyone!

It’s definitely the media. And it’s technology and social media. We are more aware of what is happening in this country (and around the world) thanks to the internet social media. Things happening today were happening decades ago but you didn’t hear about it as much because we lacked the technology we have today. I just read a really silly comment on article about the Texas church shooting from someone who said “these things didn’t happen when we were kids”. Yes. Yes they did. There most certainly was church violence in the 1960s and 70s when that person was a kid. There was mass violence too.

NY,

I agree. For the most part we choose our own journey. So we can avoid the a**holes and select the path that we wish to take.

I agree with Midkid that things are getting better. I think it's the media that has many convinced that we are "becoming very hateful". I feel that people are becoming more understanding, more accepting, more open-minded, more tolerant and not less so. There will never be peace on Earth because humans are a**holes but we can each choose to be peaceful.

Great attitude, MidKid.

Yeah I guess it will smooth out. Things are always difficult before smoothing out :)

What helps is for people to see the good in others. Instead of labels, people should focus on qualities.

I agree that the country is more hateful. But I keep reminding myself that progress rarely comes in a straight line. Look at what happened after the Civil War. The freed people were given their rights, then prejudice and anger reached another peak and most of those rights were taken away or violated for a long time and were only gradually regained. People alive now have lived through mostly peaceful times, and even in wartime, the country was fairly united. The protests around the Vietnam war seem like a minor blip in retrospect.

I think we've regressed again as greater diversity has resulted in more resistance from entrenched interests who want to keep the country the way it was in earlier years. White, Christian, heterosexual. I think (I hope) it will smooth out over time, but right now I agree, it's a very bumpy ride.

Any news channel really. Like CNN. Etc. Seems there's more going on

I think things are better, and worse. Depends on what you're looking at.

IF you watch FoxNews all day long, you're going to be convinced the world is going to he77 in a handbasket.

If you judiciously read or watch SOME news and don't obsess over it...and just go about your life being kind and gentle--you'll be happier for it.

I rarely see or experience true 'hatred'. I don't engage with people who do. I try to live my religion and love and forgive, I realize I cannot change people and I don't try.

One kind act of service per day, minimum. Gratitude for all I have and trying to spread the kindnesses I receive to others.

It's not that hard.

Yes, I agree. I think most people all over the world want the same thing. We all want to live in a world where people generally care and have respect for each other, acceptance for who we are in spite of any differences. I would like to believe we all have a common thread that makes more alike than different.

Did some news item or report spur you on to post?

It can be difficult to keep perspective. I personally feel that nothing much changes from decade to decade (excepting certain world historical crises) and that people don't vary much either from one culture to another, with all their little ways, for good or ill.

Most people most of the time want to do the right thing if they know what it is and it's not too difficult or expensive; but then you get the occasional hero or villain (or brilliant or terrible situation) that catches our attention and makes us feel either a surge of optimism or impending doom.

I do agree that globally we seem to be living in "interesting times" as the Chinese curse puts it. But then again, I can't offhand name a decade where it was all sunshine and roses, either; and especially not one where the headlines were full of things like "NH standards hit all-time high!" or "therapists switch career as demand plummets - 'Everyone's just too happy to need us,' sighs Dr."

Yesterday evening I met a lovely older couple for the first time. They live on a kind of trailer park (nice trailers), and the wife was telling me that her neighbours are Lithuanian so they can't converse much. But when her husband fell in the bathroom and she ran to them in her dressing gown, the couple's schoolgirl daughter acted as interpreter and the neighbour husband had rushed round, scooped up the older man and laid him carefully down on his bed before you could say "what's the Lithuanian for help!?"

People are only people. Forget agendas, do what you can, and take individuals as you find them.

I have certain concerns about certain areas as well. I don’t know enough about care in other countries to make a fair comparison to other places.

Without complete knowledge I feel that I can’t make a fair assessment.

Care to comment on your concerns?

I feel more money needs to be placed into research for many diseases and all medically related conditions but we are talking about megabucks! That’s a major fundraising issue.

I would like to see more attention paid to mental health care in our society and for people not to be stigmatized or have a fear of losing their job. Mental health can play a big part of other underlying conditions such as addictions.

I would like to see a continuation of addiction being treated as a medical issue instead of a criminal activity. We have started down this path but have a ways to go. I have even heard police officers validate this issue.

I am encouraged by some companies who are allowing time off for mental health issues such as high stress levels and sending employees to rehab facilities for recovery rather than automatic dismissal.

Yes, we have laws in place. They aren’t always respected. Can people sue? Of course they can and the majority of those cases are settled out of court.