Relationship and Social Responsibilties

The general overall subject of this blog is responsibilities toward oneself; in this post, it being the Holiday Season, I would like to touch on one's responsibilities toward others. In particular, I want to discuss the subject of friends and relatives, and aspects of what used to be called, "social obligations."

During these holidays the general focus of adults, in the West, is turned primarily toward family, friendships and other relationships. The primary focus, in actuality, currently tends more toward food, at Thanksgiving; presents, at Christmas, and partying on New Years Eve, and dealing with the after affects on New Years' Day.

As the years pass, it seems to me that most relationships have become more and more warped/distorted. This is not to suggest that those relationships, in, say, the middle of the 20th Century were perfect--they were far from it. So, my stating such a change has taken place, is to say the current state of social relationships is pretty bazaar, in my opinion.

The word, "Responsibilities" in these times, seems to be a general turn-off. This is the result of its connection to perceived and inculcated obligations for most people. None-the-less, Society/Civilization is dependent upon individuals' willingness to acknowledge and live up to social obligations. The beginning of this breakdown, as I see it, was the advent of the Industrial Revolution, which was a primary factor in the breaking up of the interdependence of extended families. This was, probably, the inevitable result of the population increases, and subsequent, "explosion" after WWII.

Currently, two major indicators of the distortion of perceived relational obligations, are, "Black Friday" and the private and public abuse and killing of family members.

This year, a number of large retailers have extended their store opening times into Thanksgiving Day itself impinging on what had been an opportunity for family and friends to spend time together. It was evident that many individuals had no problem with this, willingly spending hours waiting in line to save money on some promoted must-have item, either for the self, or for others. Once inside the store, those same individuals acted more like our perceived idea of, "savages" toward other shoppers, than civilized humans.

Another indication of the breakdown which is taking place are the number of cases of violence and child abuse to be read about in the news media regularly; only the most recent a mother killing her two children, then herself, apparently brought about by desperation over not being granted food stamps.

In this new "Holy-day" Season, it is time to think about our relationships, whether with our friends, family, or total strangers. It is clear to me that Western Society is in collapse. While there may be some who think that the current social protest groups are an indicator of such a collapse, it is our individual social relationships which need to be examined and adjusted.

With those unsettling thoughts, I end today's blog.

Shirley Gallup