Of Supercommittees, Occupations and Music Awards

I marvel many times at how the so-called "postmodern" mindset has effected every aspect of life in the United States.  We deconstruct everything these days.  Language is used in whatever way the user deems appropriate.  We are currently asking one word questions: Really?  Seriously?  I heard a commercial for Taco Bell that described the amount of meat in a new flatbread sandwich as "epic."  We look to compartmentalize every facet of life into specialized slices of ever-diminishing scope, and although we may participate in two different facets at the same time the attitude is "never the twain shall meet."  A student can be in class taking part in a text message "conversation" with a friend and be called down for not paying attention, to the which the student promptly responds with all seriousness, "What's one thing got to do with the other?" or probably more accurately, "Seriously?"

And so I read of the debt reduction supercommittee failure, the occupy every city USA issues, the scandals and alleged scandals at Penn State and Syracuse and wonder if anyone else sees the common thread linking all three issues.  One is strictly political, right?  One is strictly social, right?  One is strictly moral, right?

I watched part of the American Music Awards on Sunday night.  I have always felt that singers/songwriters are projecting the raw emotions and attitudes of the generation as well as any other medium.  Listening to the lyrics (or reading them) of the most popular songs gives a pretty good indicator for how things are going.  As it turns out one of the songs actually spoke directly to the linkage previously described.  The song was by Enrique Iglesius and it is called "I Like How It Feels."  Below is the first stanza and the chorus:

It's my time, it's my life,
I can do what I like
For the price of a smile, I gotta take it to right
So I keep living, 'cause the feel's right


And it's so nice, and i'd do it all again,
This time, it's forever
It gets better, and I I, I like how it feels


I like how it feels, I like how it feels
I like how it feels, I like how it feels
I like how it feels, I like how it feels


Amazing how a contemporary pop artist can funnel down all the biggest topics of the day into a few short minutes of music, isn't it?  Why did the supercommittee talks break down?  Why did the Occupy groups form and why are there so many problems within the protest groups?  Why are there scandals at major University sports programs?  Isn't it simply because everyone is doing exactly what this song says?  Every individual has deconstructed life into tiny slices, all disconnected from all the other slices, and does what they like based on how they feel because it's their life and it's their time.  I wonder if anyone else realizes that kind of existence is ultimately unliveable.  Society cannot function if that is the pervading attitude.

The point is something has to be an underlying principle that defines human existence and ties all aspects of life together.  If that underlying principle is "it's my time, it's my life, I can do what I like" then all of life is based on a feeling and is therefore completely arbitrary.  At some point the realization must strike that as human beings there are principles that govern our lives, objective principles that apply whether we acknowledge them or not.  We are hit in the face with them every day.  Most simply stated, we know what is right, we don't do it.  A purely existential life de-values life, allows for compartmentalization and deconstruction of human existence.  While trying to build a meaning for life one piece at a time, we are actually acquiescing to an existence completely devoid of any ultimate meaning.

When will the supercommittee be able to make headway?  When will the occupiers not have a reason to protest and not have such a self assigned important venture implode?  When will abuse and violation of others really come to an end?  The answer is the same as it has always been, since nearly the very beginning of human existence - when each and every individual lives according to the purpose for their existence: to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.  What does that really mean?  Put down the iPhone, get off Facebook and Twitter, turn off the TV, get in a room alone and pray, asking God to reveal that purpose, His redemptive plan through His Son Christ Jesus, and what it all really means.