Lincoln said: America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter, and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.
Dan Pink, one of my favorite authors and thought leaders, recently wrote that "...the wheels are falling off the wagon..." I believe he is right. We have faltered and are past the tipping point.
How? Easy. Ignorance, intolerance and indifference. The linked articles on Dan Pink's post illustrate just how pervasive these choices have become, and the astonishingly depressing results we've achieved.
Of the three, I do believe indifference is the most destructive. While ignorance and intolerance are observable and measurable, indifference is the elusive acid that has been eating at our country’s mortar for decades; its corrosive nature strengthened by our power, pride and ultimately our fears.
Perhaps indifference can be measured and observed via voting (or lack thereof) statistics or some other observable force. I'll pursue that thought.
Regardless, our indifference to our own communities and country has created observable results. As a nation, we are undereducated, unhealthy, and hungry. If you are not, challenge yourself to find and reverse your indifference. If you believe you are not indifferent, look again. You will know you have found your indifference if it causes you shame or pain. Those responses are good; they are your call to action.
[As I write, I realized one facet of my own indifference. I did not vote in a local election on Tuesday. I cannot fix that. I can and will write a piece on voting. I wrote Recipe for and Old Fashioned Vote in '04 and posted it in '09. Looks like I'll revisit it in '10. Yes, admitting that I violated my own argument is embarrassing. Correcting my path away from indifference and back toward community responsibility and respect? That felt good. Seriously, try it. It only hurts for a little bit.]
Just as Lincoln warned, we have squandered our freedoms. We have confused patriotism and pride. Decades of absolute power have corrupted absolutely. Our current state was not created by any one election, administration or political party. If it were, we'd have an easy solution to contribute and carry out.
Again, I believe we have passed the tipping point. The consequences scare me. My antidote for fear? In this case, more information. In the coming days, I will drill down on education, health care and voting as measures of democracy. In the meantime, please share your links and your thoughts.
