Commitment

The virtual acquaintanceship which abounds in a Facebook world is an extension of the real community which once existed on every block or in every neighborhood of cities and towns. That actual community is rare in modern America. As Americans have done with fast food over real food, they now settle for this virtual community over real community.

Why? I think the answer is simple. It's easier. Real relationships require work. Being in touch with an elderly neighbor down the street may entail cutting her lawn or getting her groceries. Knowing a quadriplegic next door may entail washing him and helping him out of bed in the morning when his caregiver is unable to do it.

Community, like all relationships of any substance, requires some commitment. Americans are averse to social commitment. This aversion is obvious in America's refusal to address global warming, urban poverty and other social inequalities in society. This aversion is obvious in the popularity of Tea Party rantings about not paying taxes and its attempts to stoke fires of racism in America. This aversion is obvious in America's persistent willingness to toy with the human rights of LGBTQ people and others.

A healthy community is peaceful and inclusive. This requires a strong commitment by all community members to participate in socially responsible speech and behavior at all times. Are responsible speech and behavior the predominant features of current American society? To its credit, the culture of Facebook is generally cordial and inclusive. Perhaps the Facebook experience, combined with a renewed commitment of neighbors and friends to build and maintain real community, will help us repair our society in time. I certainly hope so.

Pakistan

The United States government supports dictatorships around the world. This is a simple fact.

The United States government, founded as an instrument of service and protection for its constituents by its designers, has deteriorated into an instrument of control and corruption in opposition to the true interests of its constituents. This is the way of men and women in power. Yes, power corrupts.

Any feelings of superiority which a citizen may feel as an American are unfounded. In fact, since the Constitution of the United States places responsibility for change and direction on the citizens, all Americans should currently be ashamed of the state of their nation and their democracy. And this shame should ideally be shown in the results of upcoming elections.

While waving an accusing hand at Muslim extremists, capitalist extremists under the false banner of Christianity have taken control of the American government, its army, its courts and its media. This must change, if the United States is to survive as a nation of justice, freedom and prosperity for all.

Human evolution toward mindfulness, peace and compassion requires a practice of responsible world citizenship. This citizenship, as a member of the human species, far overshadows the role of a member of a political party, a government or a nation. Those who unjustly control and corrupt the common good through politics are far more despicable than common criminals.

Halloween

The current elevation of Halloween to a commercial and community holiday is symptomatic of many elements of modern American culture. Neighborhoods are littered with plastic and paper products, branded with orange and black themes of pumpkins, skeletons, scarecrows, vampires, etc.. Walking around my own neighborhood convinces me that the owners of the decorated homes have absolutely no idea what this ritual is really about. However, I am convinced that Walmart rules in their households, which contain impressionable children under the age of eighteen. The lack of mirth in the American culture is reflected in this penchant for gloom, fright and death. The patent disregard for the general appearance of the neighborhood, the environment, is also glaringly obvious in these displays of disposable materials. Halloween has eclipsed Thanksgiving, it seems. The latter holiday, in its traditional American form, was a time for community functions for the needy, high school sports events, and a history-minded reflection on the controversial origins of this nation at the expense of its native inhabitants. Thanksgiving now is a long weekend for travel, since American families are no longer community-based. Halloween is a community holiday to the limited extent that Americans celebrate community in these times. America is balkanized. Ethnic communities have once again superseded the community at large. In the absence of the nationalist fervor of war fever, like that of 2001, what is the American community? What is the American identity?