In our blind pursuit of this illusion, this false dream and false god, we have turned both our young and old over to the care of strangers and then wonder at the loss of family values, traditions, and morals. In most cases, I think it is simply ignorance of the consequences that has led us astray. Lulled into a false sense of security with the easy affluence following World War II, many Americans began to take that high standard of living for granted. Slowly and unconsciously, we became addicted to it and finally felt entitled to it. When it became harder and harder to sustain, rather than look at simplifying or cutting back, we ran harder and longer on the financial treadmill, determined to have our piece of the dream.
Money is enormously seductive but it is a brutal mistress.
I believe that the young people today are carrying and acting out our collective dysfunction around money. There are no simple answers to this mess we find ourselves in. Certainly healthy parenting and role modeling are a part of it. Trying to determine what is enough, as individuals, families, organizations and even nations, and what we can do with the extra to make a difference in the world is another part of the answer, I believe. We have learned to confuse financial security with emotional security and happiness.