Is society dysfunctional?

[Jamie]

Do existing social values, our legal system, and our general valuing of money over humanity, help contribute to creating a dysfunctional and disharmonious society?

Is there a cause effect relationship, between social structures, rules, laws etc, and the creation of violent anti-social individuals.

To my way of thinking, people who want to work and improve themselves, should have the opportunity to do so, and should not be hindered by individuals who want to live in a chaotic anti-social manner, and cause trouble for everyone else.

The way we (as a society) deal with people like that, needs to such, that it deters other people from behaving in the same way. At the same time, we also need to ensure that people have ample opportunity to work on themselves, and make life better, both for themselves and their communities.

That's what I think. I imagine it's not so clear cut and simple as that though..

[ar81]

As I see it, the only non disfunctional people are happy people.
Happy people are happy, even if they have problems.
Sometimes they may feel sad for something, but in a short period they may go back to normal.

I do believe that the main disfunctional element of society is that it does not teach us that we DESERVE happiness, and that we CAN be happy.

[Angela]

Originally Posted by ar81

As I see it, the only non disfunctional people are happy people.

I love that!

[Indiana]

To my mind, there are actually very few individuals who genuinely want to live in a chaotic, anti-social manner and cause trouble for everyone else.

Most people are doing the best with what they have, even if that is not very much (physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually). On the whole, I think most of the structures of society ARE set up to try to achieve the situation you describe, where individuals can work on themselves and contribute to their community. The majority of people in Western society at least achieve this to some degree.

Obviously the problems you describe do exist and are more rife in some sectors than others. You have outlined the issue - now what do you think could be done?

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by Indiana

Obviously the problems you describe do exist and are more rife in some sectors than others. You have outlined the issue - now what do you think could be done?

I'm not sure what can be done; other than each individual doing his or her very best with what they have (like you say), to improve their own life situation, and also to contribute in a meaningful way to their community.

I guess it's (humanity) pretty organic, and changes will happen naturally as humanity evolves and grows. I think lately, we've become a little too obsessed with things, money, and focusing out, in to the world, and in doing so, we've lost something, some deeper connection within ourselves to the unity of life, and to nature.

So to make the world a better place; making yourself a better person, is a pretty good start I would think!

[Andrew Brunelle]

Of course society is dysfunctional. Someone said that mental illness is a perfectly logical adaption to an insane society. Society has so many problems that are not being addressed and yet we continue on in it unchecked. What we need are more options on how to live, not for most of us to be forced into the 9-5 paradigm where it's either work or freeze and starve to death on the streets.

If you want to read about society, look at the essays on Ran Prieur. They are very eye-opening to most people. When I read them, I thought to myself that this was exactly how I felt, and that I was just not able to articulate it quite as well as he did. He is a very intelligent man who has a lot to say.

[Diandra25]

yup it is.

it is trully dysfunctional,depressed,disenergized and discentralized from the Essence/Universe/God/Unity whatever you wanna call it.

Society it is a disease itself like how it is todaynly wants and sees and believes on what it is seen,on what can be bought,on what money can do,and on what you and me have.

Society needs to create the "order",the "values" the "rules" only to have power over all of us.They say we must do this or that,or else we arent part of it,and so the ones who i think are the most functional,are the ones who might very well be at the streets today;are the ones that had the courage to defend what they believe,what and who they trully are,without the rules/obligations/morals/ethics etc....

Society is made by all of us,wether we like it or not.I am one who doenst want to fit cause in fact i feel like a prisioner.i feel that if i do or become what society wants from me...im not really me anymore.

So i chose to be the complex person of the family;the one who is "out of this world" like they say....

The truth is that....people dont really want to be free.dont really want to look inside and see what they are,what they are made of.they fear to see the true uniqueness they have,their own Soul. Only cause then,once they see it,once they experienc it,they wont be capalble of be the person they were anymore;the one that fits into the society.

Society gives them the "security"the "protection" they think they need/Want.

but the truth is that it only gives them more and more ways to be a prisioneir of their actions and thoughts.it only gives them a bunch of nothing really.

unless one looks within,will never see what is out.

[ar81]

How disfunctional is it?
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8230549.stm

Mental illness, just like any other illness, is a health problem.
So disfunctional society is basically having a collection of sick people who are getting no health care.
WHO has embraced a new definition of health, since long ago, that embraces mental health.
It is logical. Brain is just another organ. The difference is that it controls behavior, and if it has any biochemical imbalace, people will be disfunctional.

[brendannz]

Originally Posted by Indiana

To my mind, there are actually very few individuals who genuinely want to live in a chaotic, anti-social manner and cause trouble for everyone else.

I've found there are a lot of immature, rude and small minded people in this world, putting others down to get ahead etc.

But I've learnt to deal with them as I've gotten older, (giving them less energy) and fewer seem to exist now..

[Jamie]

Ok, so society is dysfunctional, lots of things out there in the world, are just wrong; they don't match up with what I (and what I believe we all) intuitively feel to be correct and right.

But the world and society, is as it is. Why do I waste such an inordinate amount of energy bitching and moaning about it? That's energy that I won't have available for my own internally dictated purpose in life.

So yes, the world is screwed up and lots of people in it, are screwed up too; but it won't help me to bemoan that fact, or to fight against the world.

So my next question, is how does one stay calm, and on track (focused on their own central purpose in life). I don't want to change the world, I wanna change me. I guess that starts with keeping your focus closer to home, not out their in the world, but closer in to your own being.

[ar81]

Happy people are not dysfunctional.
What people do about it is to complain about how sick society is.

Solution: Make people happier.