I’m usually quiet, especially when it comes to big, complex, controversial issues. But lately, I’ve been feeling a growing unease about our world and society. It’s finally gotten to the point where I can’t keep my thoughts to myself anymore.
We often talk about how much has changed – new tech, changing cultures, how we connect. I know society has always been complex, but what I’m seeing now, especially in how we treat each other, just feels different.
I think it’s a shift in our shared values, the unwritten rules that let us live together peacefully and productively. It’s about being tolerant of others’ ideas when they differ from our own or being able to agree to disagree without having to win the argument at any cost.
It’s not about judging or wishing for a past that never existed, but about honestly asking ourselves where we’re headed.
From my quiet corner, one of the most striking shifts I’ve noticed is in accountability. It’s not just about holding everyone else accountable, but the simple, everyday willingness to own our actions and their consequences. I remember a time when you could believe what you read in the newspaper or saw on TV. When someone gave you their word or reached agreement with a handshake was all that was needed.
Today, it feels like accountability has disappeared. There’s a quick urge to shift blame, find an excuse, not be completely truthful, or just disappear into anonymity online when things go wrong. Whether it’s in public discourse, politics, business, on social media, or even our smaller daily interactions, that willingness to tell the truth or just say, “I messed up,” seems less common than in years past.
When we don’t hold ourselves accountable, trust—the glue of any healthy relationship or society—starts to fray.
Now, it’s easy to point fingers or wish for “the good old days.” But that’s not what this is about. Every generation faces its own challenges, and society is complex. We’re all trying our best, navigating a fast-paced, changing world.
I certainly don’t know the answers or have the solutions other than to try my best to be less judgmental, be truthful, and hold myself accountable when I mess up. Try to lead by example.
I hope this post is more of an invitation to reflect, to observe together, without judgment, some areas where our collective moral compass seems to be shifting in the wrong direction. By holding ourselves more accountable and less judgmental, we can begin to shift the direction back to a more civil and tolerant society.
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