Cultural complaints from an outsider

On Friday one of my daughters came home from school with an alarming
story. You don't have to be a parent or have children in high school to
appreciate -- or hate -- this tale. But either way, you should hear
about it.

This year, as in past years, a few foreign exchange students are
attending school locally. No big deal; that happens everywhere, every
year.

This year, in my daughters' school, one of the exchange students is a
young lady from Japan.

Or, I should say, one of them was a young lady from Japan; as
of Friday, she has decided to go back home and attend school there
instead. My daughter said that it seems as though the young Japanese
student has become disgruntled with her colleagues and, in general,
American society.

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Friday was the first full day of school, so most instructors were
providing their students with outlines of what would be taught in each
class throughout the school year. This tale took place in my daughter's
History class.

The instructor was reviewing the lessons for the year and, after
those lessons were reviewed, some discussion evolved among students on
other topics. Eventually the topic shifted to modern American society --
a sort of, "How do you like it here so far?" kind of thing, most likely.

The short answer is, "Not so good." American society is unique, to be
sure, but too unique, apparently -- and far too irresponsible.
Listen up, and see if you can bear to hear the truth. This is not a
lesson, but you will likely be tested on all of this at some point in
the future.

The young Japanese student told her classmates that Americans are too
lazy, too satisfied with "just getting by" -- minimal achievement -- and
that we often refuse to recognize or even acknowledge how truly
fortunate we are because of our wealth, power, and ability to live
pretty much as we please.

She decried our $150 Doc Marten sandals, our lack of educational
seriousness, and our inability to accept responsibility for our own
actions. And yes, she didn't think much of our traitorous leech in the
White House, either.

Our television was too graphic and sex-filled; our society too soft;
our privilege too great. She believes we are too greedy, too impatient,
and too gratuitous.

In short, she believes we are an overprivileged society in decline
because too few of us are willing to make real sacrifices anymore, too
unwilling to practice self-restraint, and too unmotivated to put much
effort into anything we do. She also wondered aloud how we were able to
remain so powerful yet accomplish so little.

Is she just bitter? Jealous? Envious? Or is she right?

I happen to agree with her characterizations: most of us don't give a
damn about anything anymore except what gratifies, satisfies and
enriches us personally. We're the "Me" generation on steroids,
and we want it all -- right now -- or no more than 10 minutes
ago.

What the young Japanese student told her colleagues reminds me of the
Roman Empire -- which also glutted itself to death, drunk with power and
was lethargic about personal and civic responsibilities. Too few
American kids even learn about the rise and fall of Rome anymore; I've
got high school sophomores who know nothing about it.

Like the Romans, we Americans have become so successful that nothing
matters to us anymore but that success. Like the Romans, it is
why we are burdened with the Bill Clintons and the Newt Gingriches and
the dozens of self-anointed, faceless trolls whom we mindlessly "elect"
year after year to continuing serving their own selfish interests.

As far as this Japanese girl is concerned, I am embarrassed --
embarrassed -- by what she said. I am embarrassed because of the
raw, cold, hard truth of her words.

It's sickening. It's embarrassing. And -- if you're not in denial --
it's a wake-up call. Other people in so many other countries view our
society in much the same way this Asian girl does.

If this young lady had said these things to a national audience, what
would our reaction be? Humble or arrogant?

Our once-proud, motivated, self-accomplishing, creative society is
dying, ladies and gentlemen. Others can clearly see it but, as is always
the case, those most closely involved can't see anything because we
refuse to see.

But eventually, we'll pay for our insolence and inattentiveness.

Every other society in history that has suffered from our form of
excess has gone the way of the Romans. We will too, even if we're too
arrogant to believe it. In fact, our arrogance will assure our
own destruction.

As our young Japanese student has so aptly pointed out, America has
lost her soul -- sold it, actually, on the promise of better stock
returns, new SUVs, and a better cable TV package.