John LeBoutillier
Wednesday, June 20, 2001

The United States of America in 2001 is now suffering for the social and personal excesses of that Selfish Generation.

Virtually all our national problems stem directly from this Cult of Self that has permeated virtually every aspect of our society.

Let us examine a few examples:

1) Education: Does anyone argue that the results of our educational system are declining – and rapidly? Why is this so? Selfishness and self-centeredness across the board. How can anyone look at inner city schools and not want to "liberate" those children from a clearly failing system? And yet the teachers unions will have none of it.

Of course the problems in education go much farther: Middle class kids aren't doing as well as they should, either. Why not? Too many cases of a lack of parental involvement at home. How many stories have we all heard of 'latch key' kids coming home to empty homes with too much free time because the parents are out or working? If it is a case where a single parent has to work, how about a grandparent or an in-law being there to support, nurture and care for the child?

Is the problem that these absent parents are too into doing "their own thing"?

2) School violence: This rash of appalling shootings, stabbings and killings vexes sociologists and educators. Could the underlying problem be that parents aren’t being parents any more? Or, as one father said recently, "I wanted to be a friend to my children." The Columbine shooters both came from well-off families; one of them had nine luxury cars, no one ever at home and absolutely no parental supervision while these two damaged kids manufactured shrapnel bombs in the garage.

To put it bluntly, these parents never focused on being parents as much as they focused on themselves.

3) Male-female relationships: Never – ever – before have the two sexes gotten along so badly as they do today. Why is this so? Because the Politically Correct attitude of "looking out for Number One" has permeated an institution that can only work if both the man and the woman put the other’s well-being ahead of their own. No wonder we have a soaring divorce rate, spousal battery, bitterness and rancor all over the place. The basic viewpoint of putting "self" last has disappeared!

4) The Greatest Generation survived the Depression and won World War II. They also rebuilt Europe and began a successful Cold War versus the Soviet Union.

All of this was possible because these brave American men and women thought of themselves "last."

They were like all Americans before them: humble, religious and thankful for what they had.

Too many people today are rude, arrogant, anti-religious and greedy for what they don’t have.

To these members of the Selfish Generation, everything is seen through their own life, their own wants and desires. No one else matters. "I am first" is their mantra.

If our nation is to again serve as a "Shining City on a Hill" for the entire world to emulate, this Cult of Self must change.

We all need to dedicate ourselves to thinking of our country and others first – and ourselves last.