Quote Originally Posted by Ken White View Post
Being older than I have a right to be, I've watched it happen. In three generations we've gone from perhaps excessively independent and very self reliant to dependent. I even got to watch a short term abbreviated version when I moved to Florida. Shortly after we arrrived, so did a major hurricane, the first to hit this area in over 70 years. there was adequate warning, most folks were prepared and though damage was significant, people pitched in and helped each other and self help was the order of the day.

After most of the big work was done, FEMA finally arrived and started dispensing checks willy-nilly -- literally, they fouled up so badly they had to recall half of 'em (so much for how great FEMA was under the previous administration...).

Fast forward three years, another, not a bad one -- same scenario. Fast forward four more, yet another but this time, little was done until FEMA came in -- no self help to speak of. The next year yet another and then absolutlely nothing was done until FEMA appeared; people were screaming, "What's the government going to do about this?"

Sad.
You can also see its evolution in the Army recruiting campaigns from "Be all you can be" through "Am Army of One" to "Army Strong." From where I sit as an interpreters of their messages, each of these campaigns focuses more and more pointedly on the individual perspective of getting something from the institution rather than the need to work together to produce solutions/results on behalf of the institution.