There is no other term that I think more of now than anomie. Anomie is derived from the Greek roots of without law/norm. It speaks to the state of normlessness, social instability, where individuals feel disconnected from the expectations of society.
What are the expectations of a society? Shared values, stability, standards, and norms that integrate and bind individuals as a community, resulting in the living organism that a society is.
It’s based on folkways, individual behaviour, moral guidance, cohesiveness, and general trust that generates a culture into a workable whole. You may even refer to it as societal characteristics, and some places have very unique identities as a result.
Normality is stability. It’s something we take for granted. Stability is strength, it’s holistic purposefulness that coordinates large-scale cooperation. Instability is what gives strength to others.
Societies thrive when people can count on expected outcomes; going to school yields a better economic opportunity, laws, safety, ethical impartiality, role performance, etc. But this is all changing.
There is no question that society and culture, particularly in the western world are rapidly changing, and even slowly erasing. Patriotism and national pride were much greater in the previous generations, and were encouraged and promoted by institutions. It’s almost the opposite now.
We turned down the route of isolationism and compartmentalization. Celebrating our cultures, history, and collective identity became frowned upon and inventively insulting.
Statues are toppled, history is apologized for, and national imagery is being removed. A generation is being raised under guilt and weakness rather than strength, pride, and belonging. Kids these days have to celebrate everyone else but themselves.
Ideological theories are confusing people into mental health issues. Indoctrination is submission to others. Separatism naturally arises as people still search for connection as groups form, removed into the corners of society. People are trying to find where they fit in and outburst in many ways when they don’t. Which is why we now see so many conflicts and radicalization between and within our citizens.
Laws and justice systems have significant political play, if they are even applied these days, creating unnecessary crime and stress in our streets at levels we have never had before. Social behaviours and being out in society became scarier and riskier, pushing people away from each other.
Conforming to standards that have been vilified and conflicted becomes culturally polarizing and corrupts moral guidance. People start becoming disconnected, alienated, and the feeling of uncertainty is exacerbated. Anxiety, depression, and lack of motivation manifest. We see it in record addictions, homelessness, and suicides. New pills and places to consume them aren’t needed. Returning them to the community and contributing is what is needed.
Mass immigration has made our citizens unwelcomed, unhireable, and invisible in our own country and our own communities. Youth unemployment is at near-record highs across Canada. A whole generation that doesn’t build skills, connects or participates in their own country because of LMIA and TFW system and scams. How do you expect them to feel?
New immigrants with totally different values and norms now make up a big portion and even a majority of many places across Canada and elsewhere. Think Brampton, Surrey, and Europe’s no-go zones. We don’t expect anyone to adapt our standards and values or assimilate. This turns our country and culture into another country and culture.
Our laws, norms and social programs slowly evolve to benefit others at our expense. We disregard what our culture and standards have achieved, which people come here to benefit from, but are afraid to demand respect for and live accordingly. They expect us to change to them and we do so because we perceive it to be offensive not to, but is it not offensive to us?
Politicians play into this by promising different things, and often conflicting things, to different groups. Justin Trudeau called Canada a post-national state. It’s easier to give something up than defend it and build it up. I view this as surrendering.
Besides the social and cultural difficulties that people are going through, we have massive economic changes. Inflation, the cost of living, and people not able to find good-paying jobs are creating incredible amounts of stress on top of everything else.
We got so comfortable in the western world that we thought we could use virtue signaling, and red tape as a manipulation tool to direct economic activities into some ultraistic destination without consideration of how it impacts people along the way or its reality.
When legitimate paths are blocked for economic opportunity, equality of opportunity, and betterment, individuals resort to deviance. One of the most fundamental parts to society’s well-being is economic opportunity. As the saying goes, every society is three meals away from chaos. We may mask it now with food banks, but the point is to thrive and not be fed by the government.
Culture is downstream from institutions. They play a paramount role in shaping society or changing it. Governments, schools, and community organizations need to promote our shared values, standards, and strengthen our identity unapologetically.
Communal structures such as neighbourhoods, families, and religious institutions need to be brought back to the historical point when they provided guidance and support.
Fostering community with local initiatives, volunteer groups, and cultural events help rebuild and make social connections and counteract alienation. I encourage everyone to play a part at this level and take action.
We all have a part in protecting our future, and we need leaders who will enable it and fight for our society.