Is America Finished?

Seems like everybody is talking about the decline of America, especially if you are watching the news networks. Every night, there is a parade of gloom and doom—out of control deficits, trade imbalance, wars, talk of wars, financial collapse, and oil prices. And those are just a few of the ongoing topics. So is America Finished? Are the glory days gone?

I recently watched an old television mini-series from 1987 that gave me some insight on this topic. You probably don’t remember “Amerika”. It was one of the most controversial mini-series ever produced. In fact, it’s never been aired again. And it’s almost impossible to find it on DVD. Amerika is about the collapse of the United Stated as we know it. It starts ten years after a bloodless coup d'état, which leads to Soviet occupation. The mini-series follows the final days of the breakup of the United States. What emerges are several new countries, which are created in the image of Eastern Bloc satellite states.

What strikes me about this mini-series is the basis for the American decline. Colonel Andrei Denisov, the KGB Soviet administrator for the Central District, describes to Peter Bradford, a local county administrator from Nebraska, the reason why America collapsed. He says you lost your country before the Soviets ever landed on your soil. America had lost it's passion and it's willingness to sacrifice. You were self-absorbed in your own world. He goes on to say how could we not win.

So what does this have to do about current events? Yes, we no longer have to worry about a Russian or Soviet invasion. In fact, there is no military power on the planet that can challenge our capacity for military supremacy. And contrary to what other people may tell you, we are still an economic powerhouse. There is no nation on this planet that can match our wealth. But there is something inside of us that is destroying the very fabric of our society. It’s like a virus that’s eating away at us from within.

This isn’t about Obamacare. And it’s not about whether the Democrats or the Republican control the Congress or about a $14 trillion deficit. Of course, these are important matters that must be addressed. But the issue I speak about concerns the soul. It’s in the spiritual realm and where it is being manifested—the basic family unit. It is the destabilizing, the fragmentation, and the disintegration of the family that has the potential to destroy America. Have we forgotten the most important roles in life—to be a good husband, a good wife, a good father, and a good mother.

You can start all the companies you want and make all the money you want, but if your family is a mess, you have nothing. You may not agree with my conclusions. But I believe we are consumed and infatuated with materialism and consumerism. Today’s media machine is nonstop in its description of the so-called American Dream that has been redefined. Here are the things you need and must have to be happy and content. Thanks to television, this is the message that’s been drummed into us for over 60 years.

I go into great detail about these issues in my book, The Red Pill: The Cure for Today’s Mass Media Culture, so I am only going to cover a few key points. Television has re-engineered the way we think and view the world. We desire to have the things we see in television programs and commercials at all costs. I believe this has transformed our society. We work longer hours, weekends, and sometimes even during our vacation time. Pursuing this unending appetite of consumerism has required both parents to work.

Of course, I know the argument is that we only want to provide the best for our families. But what does that mean, and how do we define what the best is all about? There is a price to pay—a bill that’s coming due now. For the past few decades, all over America generations have received an abundance of material goods, but they haven’t received the spiritual goods. I’m not sure we can do both. Time at the office has its consequences. The question is: Who’s raising our kids, really? Could it be today’s mass media culture? Have we created a society that is self-absorbed, unwilling to sacrifice, and is always looking for “what’s in it for me”? Is that the America that Colonel Andrei Denisov described in Amerika? We could be well on our way.

Practically every study conducted has indicated a sharp decline in morals and values in our society today. Each generation preceding from World War II has been less likely to embrace a Biblical worldview. Our media culture has taught us that it’s all about me and what I want. Burger King says, “Have it your way.” Right?

If America fails, it will be from within. And it most likely will be a spiritual decline, not a military or financial collapse. My formula for success is to forget about the second or third car, and spend more time at home and less time at work. Model Christianly and the attributes of Christ as an example for your family. Live the life that Jesus talked about in the Gospels. Become real and transparent to yourself and your community. Put others first, reach out to your neighbors in need, and do the right thing. Make sacrifices. You are not the center of your own universe. It’s a lonely place there.

Let’s stop fighting among ourselves and start learning to cooperate. These are the steps that lead to a re-emergence of the American Dream.