But in a society with no central motivation, so far adrift…
““But in a society with no central motivation, so far adrift and puzzled with itself that its President feels called upon to appoint a Committee on National Goals, a sense of alienation is likely to be very popular--especially among people young enough to shrug off the guilt they're suppose to feel for deviating from a goal or purpose they never understood in the first place. Let the old people wallow in the shame of having failed. The laws they made to preserve a myth are no longer pertinent; the so called American Way begins to seem like a dike made of cheap cement, with many more leaks than the law has fingers to plug. America has been breeding mass anomie since the end of World War II. It is not a political thing, but the sense of new realities, or urgency, anger and sometimes desperation in a society where even the highest authorities seem to be grasping at straws.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The lack of shared purpose leads to alienation, making people gravitate toward superficial goals while older generations cling to outdated myths.
In simple terms: No common goal causes loneliness and shallow pursuits.
Key Takeaway
Seek genuine community purpose.
Themes
alienation
purpose
generational conflict
social critique
Mood
critical
skeptical
Type
philosophical
political
When to use this quote
- young adults
- political discourse
- community building
- policy making
- media narratives
Key Concepts
anomie
cultural decay
political disengagement
Questions to Reflect On
- What purpose can unite diverse groups?
- How can societies rebuild shared meaning?
A Different Perspective
Idealistic visions may ignore practical constraints.