Most of us have seen the video of the N.Y. Yankee fan trying to pry the ball from the glove of the L.A. Dodger player in game four of baseball’s World Series. Fortunately, the player wasn’t hurt. Unfortunately, no one is shocked by this behavior. It is very normal in our society. Very American. After all, it is how one achieves the American Dream.

This nation would never have survived if it was not for this American Dream. The raw unwavering dedication to our own individual success is the only thing that can claim credit for creating The United States from scratch. However, it is also the only thing that can be blamed for our imminent demise. Just as many artists and visionaries are ultimately destroyed by the same focus and discipline that won them success, the United States is being dismantled by the same intentions that built it in the first place; selfish, short-sighted individualism.

To survive, for the American people and the people of the world to survive this collapse will require people to reject ideological isolation and develop a community perspective. A perspective that is based on old principles, but must be rebuilt from the ground up to suit the current environment. Because not only must we survive the collapse, but we must also survive those who are unwilling to let go of their American Dream.

We have grown. We are going through adolescence. We must change our perspective to become who we are intended to be. Our shared fears and hope of assistance from our father is no longer enough to maintain the routines that make up the structure of our society. We must elevate our level of maturity and begin to inherit this Earth in earnest. We must begin to build communities from routines that reflect our shared intention to be responsible for the community, and society as a whole. 

Routines are everything. Rites and rituals that express and reinforce our intentions. Routines that maintain our own health must meld with the routines that maintain our family’s health, must meld with the routines that maintain our community’s health, our nation’s health, and civilization as a whole. Otherwise, what will happen is that the will of one person will overpower all, and everyone will suffer the effects of that one person’s limitations.