Culture Observations - June 2011

1. Catholic University is switching back to single-sex dorms; reasons include less binge drinking (18% vs. 42%) and less promiscuity/depression.  Expect lots of backlash; sexual "liberation" of various sorts is the foundation of the post-60's Western culture.  It won't (and can't) be replaced by nothing ... which means a Biblical understanding of male and female may begin to get a more thoughful hearing in the near future. (search Google news if you don't get the entire article with this link)

2. Seems like almost all Americans have been (consciously or unconsciously) seduced by the radical individualism that is the core identity of our time, despite everything from ancient writings (the Bible) to current research indicating that such an identity is poison to social, economic, and spiritual health.  Like all fundamental sins, the issue is not knowledge ... it's an unwillingness to live the way we know we should, in accordance to the "law written on the heart".  This column by Tony Perkins clearly describes why economic capital depends on human capital, and human capital depends on stable (ie, sacrificial) families.  For example, the economic difference a mom makes in, say, 4 children (between them being wards of the state, and them being a key part of a family as a mother/father) is far more than almost every father will earn in a lifetime.

3. Which brings us to ... another liberal mugged by reality: David Mamut's new book sounds intriguing ... I liked "The Spanish Prisoner" a lot, not the least because it's a bit quirky.  Some other favorites from folks who : The Content of Our Character (Shelby Steele), The Dream and the Nightmare (Myron Magnet), The Destructive Generation (Collier & Horowitz).

Bottom line: it takes a lot longer to both build and destroy human capital than it does for economic capital.  This country has spent over 40 years pursuing changes in culture and policy that have destroyed large chunks of our human capital.  An unprecedented revolution in information technology is the primary reason this destruction has not already triggered an existential crisis.  Ironically, this same revolution (by enabling sophisticated obligation structures like derivatives) may trigger the reckoning.  Regardless, human capital can only be rebuilt slowly and at great sacrifice.  We're about to find out if this country is willing to face up to the fundamental causes of our economic crisis, and then, whether we're willing to begin the long and difficult task of rebuilding.