Getting Off the Dime

Let’s face it; we are stuck.  I’m not talking about the government shutdown or the obstinacy over border security.  Our national malaise goes deeper than that.  Nowadays liberals and conservatives hate each other.  Barely on speaking terms, each side accuses the other of destroying the American Dream.

But what are their solutions?  For the moment, the greatest concern is to prevent the other guys from getting what they want.  Neither faction has offered an agenda for overcoming our sour politics.  In fact, they almost daily contribute to making our society more acerbic.

Obama and the Democrats had their chance for eight years, yet came up short.  Neither of their signature achievements did the job.  The stimulus package never really got the economy rolling, while ObamaCare never fully mended the health care system.

As for throwing money at education programs, that did not improve outcomes.  Nor did reducing the size of the military make us safer.  Meanwhile Obama and company did next to nothing to fix the immigration problem.  There was talk, but no effective measures.

Then came Trump with his disruptive personality.  He was going to drain the swamp, but couldn’t.  He was also going to build a wall, but was not allocated the funds to do so.  Furthermore, he would make America great again; nevertheless most Americans do not believe he has.

Although he got the economy moving and reduced ISIS to a shell of what it was, there were few accolades.  He even sought to shut down illegal immigration, but was greeted by sanctuary cities and judicial resistance.  Indeed, there was resistance to almost everything he proposed.

What then do Americans want?  In the bi-election they voted for liberals, despite the fact that these folks did not offer fresh proposals for fixing what is broken.  Were they asking us for a return to the Obama stagnancy? I doubt it.  I believe they did not know what they wanted.  They were dissatisfied, but didn’t understand why.

As I have previously suggested, we are in the midst of an ideological crisis.  The guideposts we have used to understand our world let us down.  Liberals pinned their hopes on a massive federal government. It would bring social justice and prosperity it its train—but didn’t.

Meanwhile conservatives assumed that a free market would make us whole again.  By unleashing the creativity of ordinary citizens, we would find answers no one had previously expected.  Unfortunately, history taught us that laissez-faire policies promote exploitation of the poor by the rich.

So how do we get off the dime?  How can we bring about change when we don’t know what sort of change would satisfy us?  Simply beating up on our political foes will not advance our hopes one iota.

Therefore, let me make a suggestion.  When Sigmund Freud was asked what constituted mental health, he responded that it was an ability to work and love.  Perhaps this same prescription applies to the nation.  If more people were satisfied in their work and personal relations, they might not be clamoring for government to save them.

Let’s begin with work.  Millions of Americans are transfixed by the idea of getting gratis stuff from Washington. They want free health care, free education and a guaranteed income.  Rather they help themselves, they demand that others ensure their happiness.  They feel entitled.

They do not seem to realize that happiness comes from personal accomplishment.  While taking responsibility entails risk, passivity is enervating.  Doing ones best in achieving worthwhile goals is what provides satisfaction.  For many of us, however, this would entail a radical shift in direction.

With respect to love, we are social animals.  We benefit from lifetime commitments to people we care about and who care for us.  Nonetheless, we appear to be coming lonelier by the minute.  Plugged in, as we are, to various kinds of electronic gear, we have forgotten how to create—and sustain—intimate relationships.

It is time we learned how.  A fear of rejection and a desire for complete freedom put marriage and the family into eclipse.  The result is millions of unwed parents and more millions of unloved children.  This has to stop or we will be a nation of isolated individuals who have no future.

If my suggestions sound extreme, perhaps it is because we have gotten so far removed from the basics.  When people lose their way, sometimes they cannot see what is in plain sight.

Melvyn L. Fein, Ph.D.

Professor Emeritus

Kennesaw State University