I've come to the conclusion that America (the USA) is at a point where we've lost any sense of telos. "Telos" is Greek for "purpose," and in this case, I refer to the overarching purpose of existence. The question of "why are we here?" was once answered by Kennedy's likening of America to "the City on a Hill." Modernism and even Post-Modernism have come and gone, and we are left, collectively, with nothing to live for. We've "lost the plot," so to speak. We are all sheep gone astray. This development has grave implications on a variety of areas. Ever since Vietnam, we've been doubting whether we have any right to lay claim to what's "right" or "true."
Along with the degradation of our belief in any telos, the tangibles of materialism and hedonism have become our gods. To that end, so many of our companies and their executives have been willing to ship our manufacturing jobs overseas. This phenomenon has left a trail of economic and social devastation in its wake—formerly working neighborhoods have become crime-infested slums because of corporate greed. On top of this, those we've outsourced our jobs to and done business with, particularly China, have stolen our technological secrets. We thirst for the cheap fuel of the Middle East. These are national security threats; we strengthen the foes of tomorrow by the business deals of today. Yet, these American executives keep going back for more, as the cheap labor (greater profit margin) is too difficult for them to resist—because for them there is no tomorrow. These executives and businesspersons are traitors to the American nation.
Bear in mind that I have no illusions about identifying my patriotism with my faith. I realize that in Christ alone is our true telos found. America has been substantially better about most things than most other countries in the last hundred years or so, if we're going to be honest. I just think it'd be a damned shame for it to all go to waste.
