Wit & Wisdom with Tom Greene

What Happened to Patriotism?

Remember when Americans only argued about whether Chicago or New York had the best hot dogs or pizza? Those were the salad days. Today we can't even agree on whether hot dogs can have ketchup or not.

A recent WSJ/NORC survey suggests that we are losing faith in things we typically reserved as sacrosanct in our country. Things like patriotism, family, friendship and faith in a higher power.

Listen to this episode to find out why we are losing faith in those things that made this country great.

Duration:: 8m
Broadcast on:: 23 Jun 2024
Audio Format:: mp3

[music] Welcome to Whitten Wisdom, where you'll find unique perspectives on life, friendships, and the pursuit of happiness. I'm your host, Tom Green, and I'll be your guide. If you're listening to us for the first time, be sure to follow us on one of your favorite podcast platforms to be sure that you never miss a future episode. Okay, it's time for this week's episode. Let's get started. Remember when Americans only argued about baseball and who had the best hot dogs, Chicago or New York? Those were the salad days. As we approach Independence Day, an American holiday loaded with baseball and hot dogs, I'm mindful of the ties that bind, the things that bind us together as a nation, things like patriotism, family, friendships, and faith in a higher power. Those long-held American values that define us and make America great. They also formed the foundation of every good country music song, but as you approach Independence Day in the United States, we're also seeing a rising level of, well, independence, and a sense that people are abandoning these long-held values. A recent Wall Street Journal/Nork survey suggests that the long-held values of patriotism, family, and faith are in full retreat. Today only 38% of Americans say that patriotism is very important to them. That's down from 70% in 1998. Now, I think we can both agree that the term patriotism has been co-opted by politicians. Creative and progressive politicians, mired in their own ideological warfare, have co-opted patriotism. As if having a differing opinion on a thorny issue is a litmus test for your patriotism, hogwash. That kind of co-opting may lead some to suggest that patriotism isn't their jam anymore. I wonder if they've truly abandoned patriotism, or if they've simply abandoned the politicized version of it. 25 years ago, 62% of people felt that religion was very important. Today that number is only 39%. I think that decline has less to do with religion, and more to do with our institutions. We've lost trust in public, private, political, and religious institutions. One might argue that some of this mistrust has been earned. That's fair. We've all lived through the church scandals and corporations putting profit over principle, and we all watch the rich and famous in Hollywood lie, cheat, and steal to get their kids into top-tier schools. Schools like Stanford and Yale. Yes, much of this distrust is well-deserved. Still others turn away from the church because they find the Bible's teaching offensive. But as Tim Keller once wrote, "To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you, assumes that if there is a God, he wouldn't have any views that upset you." Setting the malfeasance and the offensiveness aside for a moment, let's consider that nearly every religion on the planet touts generosity, gratitude, and friendship. Three natural antidotes to loneliness, anxiety, and depression. Even in light of the tremendous attributes of organized religion, people are turning away. Such a shame. With this lack of patriotism and loss of faith, it's not surprising that 71% of Americans are less confident in each other than we were 20 years ago. Most claim that other people simply aren't as reliable as they once were. Some respondents say that we simply don't need each other as much as we used to. But researchers have found that lonely people are 50% more likely to die prematurely than those with healthy social relationships. Loneliness, it turns out, can be deadly. First, it reduces your immunity. Second, it increases inflammation, which can increase your risk of disease. But most importantly, social disconnection can lead to anxiety and depression. According to Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general of the United States, loneliness and weak social connections are associated with reduced lifespan similar to smoking 15 long darts a day. Today, an astounding 50% of all Americans are experiencing some level of loneliness. Is it any surprise that a new Gallup poll suggests that 1 in 3 Americans have been diagnosed with depression in their lifetime? That's 10 points higher than in 2015. Blink twice of depression has ever held you hostage. Today, 17.8% of the American population suffers from depression. These are the highest rates of depression ever recorded by Gallup. Even having children is no longer a priority. I wrote about that in a piece called "Six Reasons One Nobody Wants Children Anymore." It was wildly popular. The percentage of Americans that believe having children is very important has fallen to 30% in a new poll. Twenty-five years ago, it was nearly 59%. One more surprising is that only one in five parents feel that it's extremely important, or very important, for their children to have children of their own. Can you imagine missing the joy and validation of bringing a child into the world, or suggesting that your children shouldn't do the same? Amazing. In stark contrast to these surprising megatrends, there is one thing that seems to be skyrocketing in popularity. A shocking 43% of Americans now describe money as very important. That compares to a score of 31% in 1998. So if we're looking for the message here, it's this. Americans now feel that money is more important than patriotism, developing a faith life, or growing friendships, or having children. It's clear that we are abandoning many of our long-held traditions, institutions, and values in favor of independence, as if money and isolation could ever solve the emptiness from not pursuing a faith life, as if money could ever quiet the regret associated with not having children, or grandchildren, or replace the value of long-term friendships, as if money could ever solve for the gut-wrenching loneliness and isolation that sometimes incurs later in life. As you prepare to watch the fireworks this Independence Day, maybe we need to rethink the word "independence." Independence doesn't mean that we can exist and thrive in a vacuum. It doesn't mean we should abandon the principles and values that this country was founded upon, values like patriotism, family, and friendships. And we certainly shouldn't abandon the Almighty in exchange for the Almighty Dollar. Let us all recommit the values and principles that made this country great. Happy Independence Day. You've been listening to Witten Wisdom with Tom Green. If this is your first time listening, we hope you'll come back. You can pick up this podcast on all major podcast platforms, or feel free to visit us at www.tomgreenwithne.com. And if you enjoyed this podcast, please feel free to share it with a friend. And until next time, always remember, nothing beats nice.