Many nations and dynasties have risen and fallen over the course of human civilisation. At this point, it is an inevitable fact that all countries must fall. It is only a matter of time and the way they fall. However, how does this happen every time? Are humans not capable of learning from old mistakes? Are we that naive to repeat the same mistakes again and again?
Well, it’s a grey area, as people are partially and completely responsible for a failed nation. It doesn’t make sense, but that’s where I am going with this. Trying to contemplate the perfect and imperfect conditions that led to the downfall of a country.
We are too foolish to reflect on our actions and thoughts, which lead us to a dark reality. And when the most absurd ideas become the norm, that’s when our fate is sealed. In this article, I am trying to shed some light on the ingredients that make the perfect recipe for a disaster of a nation.
But before diving into the concepts, ideas, hypotheses, or examples, let me assert that I am not an idealist, people make mistakes, there is some evil in all of us, and that’s the world we live in.
However, our capacity to do the right and noble thing is the sole reason that we always hope for the best. So, let’s try to analyse the issues which makes the perfect recipe for a failed nation, from bottom to the higher places of hierarchy.
The Disappearance of Home
Human beings are social animals. We need relations to survive and thrive in the community. And all of this comes back to the place where we belong. It’s called home, where we live with our families in peace. However, not all homes are the same or ideal in any sense; family members often have their differences, which come into fruition over time.
Still, in most cases, families sort out their stuff, and that’s what it means to be a family. Problems are solved and issues are cleared between people; this way, the younger generation learns about working things out. Without families, people are confronted with those who are not related. Because things get ugly quite often within a few moments. Moreover, when you ripple down these relations over the whole society, you get a culture where people don’t connect empathetically with the people next door.
Since people do not have respect for others, they are prone to more violent aspects of human nature. This desensitisation of human emotions to cruelty and overcoming others through sheer power does not end well. Therefore, the solution to this is fostering communities with an emphasis on family structure.
Indoctrination in the Name of Education
Everyone deserves to learn about different topics like science, history, philosophy, language and arts. In reality, every subject is a window to the world with its benefits or perks. But that doesn’t mean education can’t be used for pushing division and hatred in the human mind. In fact, the educational sector is one of the best ways through which the authoritative figures hijack human critical thinking.
With the rise of living costs for sustainable living, most parents have to work simultaneously while their children are at school. This means, on average, the children spend less time in a day with their parents than at school or with tutors.
So, if you’re a parent, you don’t have any idea about the things that your child is exposed to in that environment. It could be anything that does not align with your values or ethical practices. As a result, a generation of children is tight, which hides a hidden agenda for indoctrination for future benefits.
What does indoctrination do to your brain? The simple answer is that you no longer think critically. In fact, it’s so bad that anyone with a different opinion annoys you. In the worst scenarios, people fight each other to defend their doctrines.
Furthermore, the sad part is that you might be indoctrinated in some of your beliefs without even realising. I am a victim of this way of human thinking for years, where I have vilified people for their positions.
“Children of today are citizens of tomorrow.”
Aiming for Equality but Hoping for Outcomes
Everyone loves equality, as it is the best concept that the human mind has come up with over the course of thousands of years. However, over the years, the definition of equality has spread across various parameters. It has come to a point that it doesn’t mean that all are equal, but rather that all should be the same. And this is a completely damaging concept to society because these places do not celebrate champions. In fact, being a champion in such a society is a sign of privilege over others, which can’t be allowed.
The damage to the society that aims for equal outcomes can be frightening, as you can find instances where human errors occur due to incompetence. Moreover, this incompetence can be the product of putting incompetent people through the lens of equal outcome theories. Yes, helping people to uplift their lives is not a bad idea. Still, it should never come at the cost of excellence and meritocracy.
In fact, the more freedom lies in the possibility for people to explore different fields. Whenever an external force or legislation tries to divert people from their interests, bad things happen. It causes a reshuffling of talent in the failed nation where the best man for the job is not present. Also, there is an efficiency factor that needs ideal people in the right positions in any role, regardless of the working sector.
Valuing Things but Not Values Itself
The modern world has so many things, objects, machines, toys, stuff, equipment, and the list goes on. Today, we have so many devices for our entertainment, work, help, etc. This is a good time to be alive for anyone in the history of mankind. However, when there are so many things in society, people often deviate towards materialism.
Now, materialism is not a bad thing; it’s basically the value of the products that are created by human civilisation that improve our lives. However, things become bad for everyone when people start putting value in the person with the biggest material possessions. It’s like respecting and appreciating the man with the biggest boat rather than the most virtuous man.
The society or nation that values virtues and ideals can never lose its way. Moral values are the backbone of any society. But if we don’t appreciate these values in others, then eventually they will vanish from underneath. Therefore, in times of trouble, we don’t have anything to fall on since no one will remember what it means to be virtuous.
Consuming but Not Producing
Producing goods and trading not only improve the nation’s economy but also foster relationships among people. But over the years, fewer countries are producing goods, and even in those countries, the biggest companies are taking over production. As a result, the individuals are not creating or producing anything, even on a small scale. This increased dependency on the state or big firms is not ideal for the economy, as it contributes towards the wealth distribution in the nation.
When most of the wealth finds its way into the hands of the ultra-rich, it causes class differences between the people of the same nation. It also damages the social fabric of society because a lot of negative values, like resentment, take over. So, regardless of the scale of the product, people should opt to at least do something that is similar to production. It doesn’t need to be a big thing; you can cook your meals. This is a good step that prevents the monetisation of every single aspect of humane existence.
Critiquing but Not Creating
Art forms move our souls in a way that no other thing does. There’s art in nature, and the human conscience is the tool to see it. Great artists, singers, writers, photographers, painters, and musicians delve into the realm of art to master their crafts. However, when you don’t appreciate good art, you can’t move the culture of the country in a positive direction, which makes it a failed nation.
Art is subjective for most people, and there’s nothing wrong with that notion. However, subjectivity is part of the whole objective human experience, which has some standards. Therefore, appreciating the things that are good and inspirational for society should be encouraged in our lives. It can come from sports excellence, great music, truth in writing and so on.
Merely critiquing the normal things, mundane events, is not an art form. The word ‘content’ is a misleading one; it removes the boundaries of a normal human activity with the excellence of art. We as a society need to differentiate between the two. You can pass time when you see all kinds of stuff on the Internet, but when you see art, your entire concept of time and existence is questioned. It’s not the same thing, and the two should have their separate audiences.
Critiquing is not creating anything. It is just one’s thoughts, opinions and views on something which inherently has meaning. Therefore, there’s a need for artists and creators to push their boundaries, try new stuff after mastering one, and then only new art can take over.
Celebrating Traditions without
Most of the religions are going downhill, and it’s a reality that hits very hard. Not because religions are true or false, but they bring a sense of belonging and a safety net for individuals. The significant reason for this is the traditions associated with different religions. People celebrate all sorts of holidays throughout the year. It’s a matter of joy, pride and overall happiness. Now, when you don’t believe in any religion, over time, you’ll lose your love for the tradition.
It’s a possibility that you’ll celebrate traditions for some years but eventually lose interest. In that case, you might need some form of association. You can believe anything about religious practices, but the fact of the matter is that it’s very hard to come up with your own stuff. As a result, there’s a possibility that society will collapse without having a sense of pride because you need faith to enjoy the traditions.
Scrolling But Not Strolling
The human brain is a lot of things, but certainly, it’s not made to spend time on social media. Mindless scrolling on the Internet is one of the worst things you can do to damage your life. When the nation’s population spends most of its time on the Internet, it becomes prone to propaganda and hateful messages. This can be catastrophic for the country in the long run as people become so divided, so easily on the Internet.
Concerning health and well-being, scrolling on devices can cause eye issues and other mental health problems. It can have a drastic impact on the attention span of people, and it only adds to the misery of life. No one wants to, and the only way to fix it is to leave your phone at home and take a stroll in public.
Hating Talent and Hard Work
Rich people usually have a lot of haters in society. It could be a wide range of things that fuel this hatred, like poverty, capital discrepancy, or envy. But what good does it do for any country? Under the law, all citizens should be treated equally, whether they are poor or rich. And the truth of the matter is that most of the benefits/products that we undermine today are products of people who were greedy for their dreams. This drive helps the nation to strive during adversity. If you go against the talent or hardworking individual who ends up rich, you are undermining your own future potential.
Clearly, the economists and other brilliant minds need to figure out wealth distribution. Still, it should not come at the cost of taxing the hard work. Any country’s pillars are made on these attributes of perseverance, dedication and focus. So, when you attack these things, you go against the very fundamentals of the society where you live.
Ego for Rejecting Better Values
It’s a good thing to be open-minded. But what does this actually mean for a country? Does it mean we let others dictate our lives, or does it mean copying others’ lifestyles? In reality, it means to contemplate the things that work. When everyone wants their own way, no way gets going.
So, society analyses the values that guarantee freedom and choices. These are the things that free society strives for. When a country can’t accept values that bring freedom, it becomes more tyrannical and a perfect recipe for a failed nation.
Not Asking the Right Questions
Keeping people in power accountable for their actions was the job of journalists in the past. Today, this whole landscape has been shattered by the lies and propaganda of the affiliated personalities. No one dares to question the regime because of the fear of prosecution and even death. This is one of the worst things that can happen to a country aiming for freedom.
We need people who ask the right questions without caring whether it offends their friends in power or not. Then only, when can we maintain a level of transparency that is necessary for a working society? Thus, raise your voices and ask the questions that not only make sense but also seek the truth of the matter.
Being Grateful for What We Have!
There have been a lot of negative implications discussed or laid out above. But that is not the goal of this article. The Recipe of a failed nation aims to shed light on things that we don’t need to do as a society. It’s the first step to avoid becoming what we hate and to lose what we admire. There are plenty of places that are worse than our lives, and that’s the approach a good nation needs. We need to know our vulnerabilities while acknowledging the things we have because with the blink of an eye, they will disappear.
‘A grand dynasty is not judged by the size of its walls but the size of hearts behind those walls.’