The British newspaper The Times said that the real problem of the West is not economic or political, but moral.
newspaper explained In an article by British writer Matthew Sayed, the that the rampant mistrust – or mistrust – of the general public is “a poison that degrades our ability to cooperate and thrive.” Read also Hariri, on the anniversary of his father’s assassination, attacks President Aoun.. How does the “crisis of confidence” hinder the formation of the government in Lebanon? Le Point: This is how China wants to become trustworthy, attractive, respectable America .. Documents reveal Trump’s attempts to pressure the Ministry of Justice to cancel the 2020 elections انتخابات The New York Times: Trumpism Without Borders.. The forces that brought in the former president are applying pressure all over the world
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Matthew Sayed considered that the result may be the first indication of a transformation that will have strong, long-term repercussions, and it also indicates a growing sense of anxiety among voters, “a scourge that bears signs of the decline of the West and our inability to contain China.”
He said that the paper written in 1958 by an “unknown” American political scientist named Edward Banfield is a good starting point for understanding his idea in his article in the newspaper.
The historians have been freaking out
He pointed out that Banfield had traveled to the town of Chiaromonte (southern Italy) to investigate a dilemma that had haunted historians for centuries; The American political scientist noticed that northern Italy was full of movement, activity and prosperity, and was an “incubator” of the Renaissance.
Why, then, did the Italian south look back to the north? A question Banfield has been trying to find an answer to. Banfield did not research, as academic economists do, inventions, technology, or natural resources, but looked at what he called the “moral tapestry” of southern Italy, and noticed that there was nothing there that was taken for granted in his native United States, that of “social trust.” This means that people are willing to put their trust in their new acquaintances.
toxic mentality
What is the reason for the lack of trust? In Banfield’s opinion, this remained the reality of the situation in the South for centuries, and was passed down from generation to generation. And he told a story that was reported in southern Italy about a father who put his son on the edge of a high rock, and told him, “Jump and do not be afraid, and I will catch you when you fall.” in this world.”
At first glance, this might sound like good advice, but Banfield recognized that it was a “toxic mindset” if placed in the context of a particular culture; It undermines people’s ability to engage in a mutually beneficial relationship. It destroys the spirit of cooperation; People do not conclude contracts between them because they do not trust that the judges will judge between them impartially and impartially.
In short, the lack of social trust undoes almost everything that concerns society, according to the author.
Significant numbers
Perhaps this is a far-reaching view that one will not find in economics courses, as it appears correct across space and time. In a rich country like Norway, its citizens believe that “most people can be trusted” by up to 70%.
In a poor country like Colombia, the rate is only 4%. In the US state of New Hampshire, 60% of its residents trust others, compared to 20% of the population of Alabama and Mississippi.
In Italy, the population of the prosperous city of Trento in the north is twice as trusting of others as in the island of Sicily in the south; Regions with higher levels of trust in others have faster growth, higher GDP, less corruption and more effective governance.
When the Scottish engineer James Watt made improvements to the steam engine, it was in conjunction with the English businessman Matthew Bolton and others. This indicates a complex network of cooperation spirit from which emerged the Industrial Revolution, which was impossible to happen at that time in regions such as the continents of Asia and Africa, the Middle East or southern Italy.
The deterioration of social trust in America
But there was a “tragedy” lurking beneath the folds of Western societies; Trust was in decline, and people’s trust in the government in America declined from 75% in the mid-1950s to only 19% today. As for people’s trust in each other, it has shrunk by almost 20% points since the mid-1980s.
The election of Donald Trump as President of the United States came as a watershed, more because of his disavowal of the moral foundations of the country than because of his policies.
In his article, Matthew Seid goes on to say that international data indicate that social trust is being eroded by stark inequality, which results in cracks in the morals of society.
Social media cancer
The writer claims that social media plays a destructive role as well. The interaction of people through it is not governed by social norms, but rather by algorithms that feed on polarization and feelings of suspicion among participants. Journalists inject false information in their quest to attract followers.
The article concludes that what societies suffer is not an economic, technological or political problem, as much as it is a moral problem. Although it can be mitigated through a just economic settlement and the treatment of the “cancer” of anonymous social networking sites that spread toxins, it ultimately requires moral reform.
The writer concluded by saying, “The most obvious fact is that we need to restore our confidence in the moral legacy left to us by our ancestors and abandoned by us unconsciously.”