Which could be translated: the European dream. What Europeans once had and
what Americans would like (more). Universal health care, higher minimum wages,
aid to families, more aid to education, safer jobs, aid to our children. We’re
expected to be offered solutions to what could be called our existential
despair. Can a solution be offered to all that, nowadays? Death rates are
falling steadily, yet there is a darkness spreading over part of our society.
And we don’t really understand why. Is it correct to ask for more and more to
our governments, just because some rights were once granted?
We’ve seen this kind of discontent in other times
and places. For example, in the plunging life expectancy that afflicted Russia
after the fall of Communism, where basically there were no rights left
guaranteed of any kind. But it’s surprising to see it, even in attenuated form,
in western countries where on the contrary there are still plenty of granted
rights, though diminished. Were they too many before? Maybe. Do human beings tend
to just sit and relax when stimulus are lacking? Maybe.
Suicide is way up, and so are deaths from drug
poisoning and excessive drinking. Annoyed people or bored people? Rising
suicides and overuse of opioids are known problems: while our society focus on
prescription painkillers or good old alcohol, it’s not really news that there’s
a drug problem.
But what’s causing this epidemic of
self-destructive behavior?
Generous social programs have created a culture of
dependency and despair. Sweden gives its poors far more aid than any other
Country, yet a majority of Swedish children are now born out of marriage. You
see a somewhat similar pattern across all western regions. Life expectancy is
high and rising where social benefits are highest and traditional values
weakest. So why the discontent? What about a materialist explanation?
The overall view is that the inability to reach a
better lifestyle is probably behind this: the more you expect to improve, the
more economic setbacks hit harder. So let me ask you a question, which applies
to Europeans as well: what did the founders of the American dream have in their
pockets? Nothing.
….Always humble,
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