The
Decline of Real Culture
However there is not only a clash of
cultures going on in the world today there is also what I would
call, excusing the pun, a crash or fall of cultures. There is in
fact little real culture left anywhere in the world. Media control,
whether by commercial forces or by dictatorial regimes, is creating
a homogenization of culture and destruction of diversity, along with
a lowering of culture to mass propaganda. Today there is little
refinement in spirituality, art, literature or human behavior in any
country East or West.
We live in what could be called
"the age of mediocrity." The culture is of the media,
which means that of the machine and the masses, aiming at mass
production and mass consumption, an equation from which quality is
inherently excluded. Literature exists at best as information but
commonly merely as profanity or propaganda. Art is largely anti-art
for or simply commercial art to make more money. Spirituality is
degenerating into either pop psychology for the bored and affluent
or fundamentalist cults for the angry and insecure. Whether one
looks at America, Europe, the Middle East, India or China, one sees
a general decline of culture, whether intellectual or spiritual.
Politics is becoming corrupt or superficial everywhere. No real
leaders of dignity or stature stand out. Leaders aim only at staying
in power and are unwilling to show any principles that might
compromise their vote appeal.
Modern Western culture is obviously
dominated by commercial influences, which aim at selling products,
generally things that people don't really need like the many
entertainment devices or fast food items. The culture has become one
of violent and sensate movies and music, what is essentially a fast
and narcissistic life-style emphasizing the me and the mine. |