The “Civil Right” is a forum for logic, Americanism, political possibilities, and for practical solutions to society’s most vexing problems. Where is/are the United States headed? How did we get to where we are, now? Which are the ideas that are important to the strength of our nation and our culture? Which ideas that seem so vital, today, are able to strengthen our nation and culture – which may weaken them? Thanks to being awash in data and unfiltered musings from many strata of wisdom, trends arise, accelerate and impact lives in very short cycles. Which of these are strengthening, which weakening? Is every whim a right? Are the ideas of America defendable, dependable, valuable, strengthening or weakening? What have economics to do with all of these? Prudence Leadbetter and I will offer some views and we invite yours.
The key work in The Civil Right Purpose is ‘logic.’ Lost is actual “time-to-think” about various situations presented in today’s overwhelming abundance of information. We’re now a reactionary society. SO MUCH information is presented to us on a daily (and hourly) basis, we cannot possibly digest it all. It’s becoming difficult to truly build opinions, then back-up your thoughts with fact. For example: When cell phones were first introduced to the general public, it was a new technology that folks actually had the time to digest the pros and cons of applying this technology in their own lives. The learning curve was a slow-curve upward….measured in months. TODAY, there is NO time to digest new technologies. There is no learning curve…it’s now simply a vertical line up, leaving no time to dig-in and understand the ‘tech-of-the-day.’ We feel we should jump on board, or we’re missing something. My thinking can be expanded beyond tech devices….to news cycles. AGAIN, we don’t have time to digest the info in a ‘logical’ manner. If we blink, we’re ancient! We’ve allowed these tech devices (and all the fall-out) to infiltrate one of the most sacred foundations of our society: The family dinner as a time to reflect, discuss, and debate the happening of the day. Once the norm, now a thing of the past. SOLUTION: I believe there will be a grass-roots movement detaching ourselves from the bombardment of ‘inbound stuff.’ – I believe this movement will catch-on, and in time hotels will promote they are a ‘tech-free zone.’ Wow, at my age I want the future to slowly arrive, but in this case it can’t come quick enough.
I know, I know…people will say each of us has the power to shut off/down and decompress. This is true. However, I’ve found over time it’s been tougher and tougher to actively break-away for a day, a weekend, etc. Unfortunately, as technology progresses, one’s ability to ‘un-connect’ is going to be more difficult.