I’ve usually pointed towards our education system but I’m not so sure anymore. I think there’s more at play.

I think it’s more about the inherit individualism in America, “the American dream”, capitalism, and the definition of The United States. There’s a strong rejection of community support and social services. There’s a desire to have more than we need. There’s a fear of “others” who threaten your domicile and prosperity. The country was founded on a distrust of government with the formation of semi-sovereign states and multiple forms of checks and balances.

I think there’s an argument that to “be American” means to be in opposition to and skeptical of government. At first, in wake of the revolutionary war, this seemed reasonable. With slow moving news and a journalistic industry maintaining the fourth pillar of democracy, without the temptation of ad revenue or competition with social media, Americans were, frankly, sheep to a small group of organizations. As a 21st century first first world country, we really need to get together and reassess what the role of government should be and how to draft a constitution that meets the needs of a nation in an increasingly connected (and shrinking) planet.

We are not afforded the tools to be competitive with the future of humanity.

I actually believe our lack of faith in religion has had a negative impact. We used to be more connected with our community. We largely trusted one another. It was not that long ago that hitch hiking across the country was a normal practice for teens. I don’t believe in gods but I have respect for some aspects of some religious organizations. What seems to have replaced this is social media bubbles or tribes. Or internet forums like this.

We’re an increasingly fractured nation that holds distrust of all things in high regard.

Also, we’re a nation that defines wealth as the ability to acquire rather than the ability to give.

In my opinion, the real concern here is that this may be the demise of the need to address climate change. Just as these wackos convinced millions of people that vaccines were a government plot, they’re setting the stage for the climate change hoax. There will be a large swath of people who convert to believe the government is in control of the weather and the change we’ve experienced in our climate. This should be a grave concern for all.