Matzav Inbox: A Nation in Deep Crisis

To SQUARE-ROOT

I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiments of the author. Some may dismiss what he said as simple jealousy, but I think that Gashmius obsession also affects those who have enormous wealth. We’re in this world to serve Hashem not show off to others and this is lost on so many. Baruch Hashem I’m married to someone who doesn’t make excessive demands of me so that I’m free to learn and write, but I think she’s the exception not the norm.

Learn Chovos Halevavos, Listen to some shiurim of Rav Avigdor Miller. Discover Hashem and your true self. Activate your private domain in the world. Start making honest and real change in yourself and you will slowly influence the people around you, In Shamayim you will be asked why you acted the way you did not why other people acted the way they did, Stop assuming everything you are going through everyone else is also going through. No two people are the same, Asking what could I do better is the key to success and happiness, asking what the people around you could do better is the key to failure and sadness.

Sure, we have some problems, but overall in real life things are fine. Get off the internet, talk to people (Magazines are not real life either). You’ll see everyone has some issues but most people are dealing with it, you will be fine if you just touch grass.

I also think, honestly that this list, is a manifestation of all our collective sins.
The people we scorned who couldn’t measure up to our impossible standards. Whether material or spiritual, because we are so steeped in materialism we forgot our humanity.
The people we rejected, dehumanized because we thought they were beneath us.
The humiliation ritual of shidduchim, how we first gossip with the neighbors before we so much as give someone a chance, and all the cruel behaviors of the entire system.
How many people have we humiliated in the name of our impossible society “norms”
The poor person we humiliated degraded and persecuted. we are so rich the ivory tower is so tall, and our eyes have to look so far down to the person in a situation that we can’t possibly understand.
All these cruel actions have a collective reaction, and those cracks are clearly showing.
Maybe we deserve it. Perhaps. Maybe this is the price we pay cuz we won’t look within or change our ways.
One day, when we all have the courage to say no, no to the darkness within.
No to the arrogance, no to the side of ourselves that wants to put everyone else beneath the pedestal of isolationism we so badly live by,

It’s root is corruption I think.
Corruption of Devine law. In some ways I think
It’s the pivot from morality to conformity and the pivot from personal choices, based on personal circumstances especially when it comes to, say materialism, that has stunted people into this deep mess that the above poster mentions.
If people are truly drowning….which who knows it might not be true, but if it is true, then we need to look at the root of those choices
Is it because people are selling themselves to the idol of materialism?
Is it because of other forms of corruption.
I personally think, honestly it’s a crack in the systemic foundation of socioty that may have come about by our own actions that say are negative.
For example
_if_ socioty treats people badly because of extreme judgment (just an example) then the reaction is they tend to suffer in their own lives as a reflection of their own bad actions towards others.
_if_ socioty forgets certain moral virtues and harms people collectively because of a lack of humanity (whether because of ideological thinking which can carpamentaliz and create an us versus them reality, making everybody fit into neat boxes of scorn)
Then the reflection of that becomes suffering in our own lives.
These cracks _if_ they exist is a byproduct of actions we take on a daily basis that _maybe_ harms ourselves but perhaps also harm others
Life is quite like a mirror, what we give out reflects back not always on a lineor fashion but sometimes in a metaphysical fashion of reflection of our destructive actions onto ourselves. (Hard to explain) Suffering points to say, how we treat others that’s how we get treated by life….dunno can’t find the right words

Yes but where does it comes from, the judgment, what is the root of the behaviour. Is it a superiority complex where everyone thinks their better then everybody else?
That’s an education problem.
And a materialistic problem depending on the root.
It’s like in gan Eden God asked “who told you”
So here’s the question “who told you, your superior”
Your not. Superiority is an inner belief that comes from having too much or being told something that might not neccisarily be correct but is thought to be true.
So yes let’s stop looking down our nose at everybody because the reality of the situation is that despite having very different circumstances we are all the same.
Also I would advise people to tone down their materialism a smidge because by virtue of being too materialistic it by nature leads to judgment. It’s nature. If I always put on the most stunning outfit to go outside I’m going to feel superior by nature. Get rid of that stop doing that. Be humble and start cultivating living with less. It will straighthen other charchator traits like humility stewardship responsibility blah blah blah
get rid of the root cause and the issue goes away

Also, the process of living with less will give more space for real connection, communication and relationships that have more depth and not as much social competition. It’s leaving people empty and stuck and being real and authentic is important not just for spiritually but also connection. Other good qualities and things that are more important can shine through and become stronger cuz they are actually much more important

Ok. You found the root. mazel tov. you still didn’t find a solution. As long as the communities are close knit and prominent you’ll have this issue. Which is what leads me to the conclusion that it is only solvable in the individual.