The social and physical construction of suburban America really was quite complex. It was a very elaborate system, and clearly a massive social engineering project that has changed U.S. society enormously.
Noam ChomskyRead
The extent to which all people in our society are made to count, and believe that they count, is not just a measure of decency; it makes sound economic sense.
Interpretation
The value of a society is reflected in how much its members feel valued and important.
Mary McAleese emphasizes that when individuals feel valued in a society, it reflects both moral decency and economic effectiveness. A society that promotes inclusivity and recognizes the worth of all its members is likely to prosper, as it fosters trust, productivity, and social cohesion, which in turn benefits the economy.
In practice
During a community meeting discussing social welfare programs.
The social and physical construction of suburban America really was quite complex. It was a very elaborate system, and clearly a massive social engineering project that has changed U.S. society enormously.
In order to stand well in the eyes of the community, it is necessary to come up to a certain, somewhat indefinite, conventional standard of wealth.
I think we have lost our groove as a country. One of the reasons was the attack on 9/11. We got knocked off our game. From a country that always exported hope we went into the business of exporting fear.
Since the end of the 1970s, something has gone profoundly wrong in America. Inequality has soared. Educational progress slowed. Incarceration rates quintupled. Family breakdown accelerated. Median household income stagnated.
It's like, hmm, there's people with $2000 weaves that could have bought health care with that weave money. They don't have insurance. People want what they want. And I guess that is a reason we have this big credit card problem and a lot of these foreclosures.
This society cannot go forward, the way we have been going forward, where the gap between the rich and the poor keeps growing. It's not politically viable; it's not morally right; it's just not going to happen.
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