Is it just me, or is the power of addiction to drugs, porn, a variety of things, rampant? I see people who watch you tube for hours and hours a day.. Maybe it’s just entertaining or maybe we have had some epigenetic shift to swaths of people addicted to phones, Internet, tv.. Drugs are bad here in my part of the country.
I think there are a lot of reasons for that.
Not the least is the shift from teaching hard work, self denial, patience, and moderation (or abstinence) as virtues.
Hand in hand with that is the cultural abandonment of Almighty God in general, and with that the social pressure to live a virtuous life, or at least maintain the appearance well enough by remaining functional.
There were few or no 'safety nets' to catch the person who chose to not be functional members of society, and that was a strong incentive to 'get by'.
Accepting charity on an ongoing basis was for those who had been injured or ill and could not work, but cause for shame if an able bodied person took advantage of such programs--so much so that many poor people would not seek assistance, insisting it be left for poor people.
Even bums would ask to work for a meal or money, rather than steal and become a criminal.
Now, there is an incredible atmosphere of self-entitlement that people who do nothing actually believe they deserve to be cared for by others, even if they are capable of work.
Without the incentive that religion provides to be honest, many will steal whatever they want, without any consideration for others.
Maybe I'm off, but this seemed to start when God was removed form the schools. Those daily prayers were a reminder that there are forces greater than us all, and that one day we will meet our Creator and stand before Him.
the drugs reduce the surplus population