To answer the first question: I think it’s mostly individuals’ ethics. I think the shared ethics lead to a culture based on those ethics, which in turn reinforces the individuals’ ethics. This accounts for the changes created by a large group of people as well as the changes created by individuals.
I think personal ethics have been slowly degrading as evidenced by the reception of Jordan Peterson’s (and others’) message along the same lines. The message is: pay close attention to your individual ethics and how they are impacting the people around you; if your life is a mess, start fixing it locally.
Speaking of JP, one of his points is that we lost respect for things that we have, like the government, industries, and policies). We have a lot of people trying to disrupt the system for the greater good without realizing they are breaking down the Chesterton’s fence. I think this explains, for example, people fighting for the the reduction of police force, while it pretty conclusively leads to increased crime.
Overall, I think I mostly disagree with your sentiment. I agree that things are changing, but I think a lot of the things you mentioned still exist and work fine. They might appear worse than they are due to modern media’s alarmist reporting and short term (~20y) trends.
Internet is responsible for degradation of real-world communities
Internet leads to online communities and cooperation, but directly drains time from local and national communities. (Not counting the insane time drain from all the distractions it creates.) Plus the social media rewards social bubbles + polarized thinking, leading to intense tribalism within your bubble and overall divisiveness.
If you look at how many online communities there are, it’s kind of insane. How many movements start online. Previously a lot of that effort would have gone into the real-world communities and movements.
The best are getting better
Given increased mobility, people go for the best. Case in point: all the rationalist chapters around the world went into a decline, but it’s because the bay area attracted most of the people who were really into rationality. I think the best of the best (companies, communities, etc...) are growing faster than ever before.
Government and decline of nationalism
I think short, acute wars (WW2 + Cold War) lead to an increase in nationalism. Plus they shift people towards Level 1. (“There’s a sniper across the river” has to be interpreted on Level 1.) People operating on Level 1 likely have better individual ethic, leading to my first point. Increased nationalism leads to higher interest and prestige in working for the government, and during the war itself there’s an increased urgency as well.
Individuals’ ethics is the cornerstone
To answer the first question: I think it’s mostly individuals’ ethics. I think the shared ethics lead to a culture based on those ethics, which in turn reinforces the individuals’ ethics. This accounts for the changes created by a large group of people as well as the changes created by individuals.
I think personal ethics have been slowly degrading as evidenced by the reception of Jordan Peterson’s (and others’) message along the same lines. The message is: pay close attention to your individual ethics and how they are impacting the people around you; if your life is a mess, start fixing it locally.
Speaking of JP, one of his points is that we lost respect for things that we have, like the government, industries, and policies). We have a lot of people trying to disrupt the system for the greater good without realizing they are breaking down the Chesterton’s fence. I think this explains, for example, people fighting for the the reduction of police force, while it pretty conclusively leads to increased crime.
Overall, I think I mostly disagree with your sentiment. I agree that things are changing, but I think a lot of the things you mentioned still exist and work fine. They might appear worse than they are due to modern media’s alarmist reporting and short term (~20y) trends.
Internet is responsible for degradation of real-world communities
Internet leads to online communities and cooperation, but directly drains time from local and national communities. (Not counting the insane time drain from all the distractions it creates.) Plus the social media rewards social bubbles + polarized thinking, leading to intense tribalism within your bubble and overall divisiveness.
If you look at how many online communities there are, it’s kind of insane. How many movements start online. Previously a lot of that effort would have gone into the real-world communities and movements.
The best are getting better
Given increased mobility, people go for the best. Case in point: all the rationalist chapters around the world went into a decline, but it’s because the bay area attracted most of the people who were really into rationality. I think the best of the best (companies, communities, etc...) are growing faster than ever before.
Government and decline of nationalism
I think short, acute wars (WW2 + Cold War) lead to an increase in nationalism. Plus they shift people towards Level 1. (“There’s a sniper across the river” has to be interpreted on Level 1.) People operating on Level 1 likely have better individual ethic, leading to my first point. Increased nationalism leads to higher interest and prestige in working for the government, and during the war itself there’s an increased urgency as well.