So many good comments!
Most people in my village haven't returned to tradition exactly, that's because they really don't know how anymore.
That's what scares me. Once a culture is destroyed, the chain is broken. People can't go back because nobody knows how and nobody can teach them. It takes centuries to build a culture, but only a few generations to eliminate it. (Faster if genocide is involved.)
But returning to the way things were won't work, because people don't how to get there (and was it really so great afterall), we must move forward. That's where education plays a huge role IMO. A lot of teachers need to be re-educated and supported.
Great or not, there were obviously things that worked really well in Western culture. Weeding out the bad parts is a good idea, but throwing it all away is not. So who will educate the teachers? That, to me, is the problem. Perhaps some good ideas can be brought out by discussion, and we can move forward. But it will take time, patience and cooperation. Like you said, voluntary cooperation, not forced.
Better yet, we need to be able to re-educate ourselves, and it is possible if we have the tools and the will to do so.
The tools are there still, especially if we get around the new censorship of tech titans. The will I am afraid won't come until people are too tired and beaten to care about hate, envy and revenge.
Now my question: why do Black and Native Indian communities struggle so much, when other minorities, like Chinese, Indians, Pakistanis, Muslims, etc do so well?
If I can answer, I think it's because some groups bring their culture with them. Others come from unsuccessful cultures, cultures that cannot adapt to the modern world, or shattered cultures.
Not sure, but I think Nigerians as a group do quite well in the West, as do some South Asian Black people. Also, there are a lot of mixed race people who may not be seen as Black or Native American by most, though they are.
Meanwhile. Hmong communities from Vietnam tend to have social problems, while other Vietnamese are highly successful, though they look more or less the same to Westerners.
From what I understand, the Black community and family values, and Black success were ironically way above today in the years preceding the civil rights movement. Their aspirations were to have good families, and build careers and lives like anyone else, for the most part. But the 70s ushered in paternalistic government programs that infantilized people. A new black "culture" specific to the US was born, where criminal activity, prison time, disrespect of women, violence, easy money and drugs were glorified. Family values and diligence are mocked. So I would guess it simply depends which culture the kids get brought up in.
I can't imagine the will-power, presence of mind, and drive it must take to reach escape velocity when you are raised by a single mother in an environment of drugs, sloth, victimhood and violence. Yet, people do it. They are far better people than I am, I think. And those are the people who should be praised and glorified to inspire youth.
