Rising tide of anger, violence in our country, an increase in rude behaviour, shorter fuses

By Guest Column -- Michael Chandler —— Bio and Archives May 19, 2017

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It feels to me like there is a rising tide of anger and violence in our country, an increase in rude behaviour, and shorter fuses everywhere, especially in young people. I suppose some of this can be attributed to their age. They are idealistic and don't possess the wisdom of a life lived in the real world. But, that has always been the case so what is new? A disconnect from the greater community, fractured families, violent video games that depersonalize such actions, total frustration, or a combination of all these and others? When I talk to them on issues they repeat the babble fed to them by the media and circulated on the internet. They are so brainwashed that all the rich are bad, that corporations are the devil, that the earth will perish without climate initiatives, that free healthcare in an inalienable right, that socialism is the only correct path and that conservatives are ignorant fools. Trust me, they believe these things with all their hearts. So, no wonder they are angry. It isn't their anger that bothers me, it is how it manifests itself. Have we created a generation without the tools to handle conflict except by violent actions?