A New Era of Feudalism in America

He [King George III] has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

- The Declaration of Independence


The growing reach of both the state and federal government, recently under the guise of preserving jobs and stimulating the economy, stands to burden our economy with unfathomable levels of debt and growth inhibiting spending. The success of the U.S. economy has been driven by private risk taking, innovation, and an innate belief that hard work will lead to individual achievement. With government assuming an ever greater role in our economy, individual efforts become less important as lobbying and political connections rule the day. Power hungry politicians establish new bureaucracies to regulate all aspects of personal behavior and displace private service providers with public goods administered by corrupt officials. Rather than relying on individual accountability and personal choice, politicians bend to powerful special interests to the detriment of society as a whole. In the process, they perpetuate the status quo, limiting the opportunity for innovation to displace entrenched interests and inhibiting the growth of the middle class. The public may believe that they benefit from government largess, but the ultimate impact will be lower economic growth, inferior products and services, declining global competitiveness, and a lower standard of living.

Let’s hope that the new government Czars and bureaucracies with their swarming armies of government drones will be disbanded before they extinguish the innovative and creative spirit of the American people. If not, our society will become a collection of subservient and overly coddled dependent children that subside on the handouts of the entrenched elite. As more and more misguided policies emerge while the populace abdicates all responsibility for their own behavior, we digress even further into the paternalism of big government and an era of feudalism that will inevitably become the “dark ages” of America.

The Evolution of Social Interaction in the Digital Age

iPods. Blackberries. Cell phones. iPhones. Portable gaming systems. These electronic devices have become ubiquitous in today’s digital age, but they have drastically altered the nature of social interaction. Gone are the days when your younger sister would tie up the family phone line gossiping with her friends; today 10 year old kids have cell phones. The friendly banter with an attractive young woman on the morning commute has been replaced with the cold isolation of telltale white headphones. The pervasive nature of portable communication devices has introduced disruptive personal conversations to every aspect of daily life, from the checkout line at the grocery store to intimate dinners at a favorite restaurant.

Some may argue that these devices simply reflect one’s desire for isolation. The young woman on the Stairmaster with headphones in her ears is simply communicating her lack of interest in talking to any of the sweaty meatheads that long for her attention. The daily bombardment by various forms of communication simply overwhelms many, leading to a need for isolation and personal introspection. Text messages, emails, and cell phones lead to omnipresent accessibility and, for some, a constant need for wireless connectivity. The more introverted, however, wish to escape from the nagging nature of uninterrupted communication and unwind from the demands of their hectic lives.

As the digital age erodes the fleeting notion of personal time, it becomes important for people to respect the individual communication styles of their friends, neighbors, and co-workers. While some people may prefer digital forms of communication such as email or instant messaging, others will undoubtedly be more comfortable with the tradition and intimacy of phone calls or face to face conversations. The evolution of electronic communication has improved productivity and facilitated multitasking, but many traditionalists fail to appreciate the versatile nature of new media and loath the digital “paper trail” it leaves behind. Innovation will continue to alter the way people interact leaving us little choice but to adapt to an ever changing world and maintain respect for the unique communication styles of others.