We need to reach out and listen to each other

Is anyone listening anymore?

We seem to talk over, rather than listening to, each other. We are quick to defend our point of view, rather than be open to new thinking. And the "talking-heads" industry is fast becoming a reflection of who we are as a society. They ask questions of their guests only to use them as a means to exploit and fan the flames of fear and anxiety in Americans.

It's as though they are a microcosm of how the rest of us in society are relating. We appear angrier, quicker to lash out at each other and more segmented and divided than we once were. We have become fearful and look for quick solutions, and when we can't find them, we look for scapegoats and turn on one another. There is a loss of civility, more hostility and resentment toward our leaders as we frantically seek answers to our problems. We are doing the human thing, being human, feeling vulnerable.

We live in a dynamic and uncertain time. We worry about the threats our nation faces, and they are real — terrorism, economic recession, loss of jobs and too many people being one illness away from homeless. We live in an era of mass communication where opportunistic people, including politicians, are exploiting the changes brought about by globalization, where anybody can put anything on the Internet and airwaves without verifying the source or taking responsibility for the accuracy of the information. The public is left confused and alone to sort and discern the facts and make an informed decision. Many of our leaders have stopped listening to us as they become more preoccupied with staying in office.

But perhaps the greatest threat we face is from within. As we feel more helpless in managing our affairs, we become insecure and less able to reach out to work and help each other. We become short-tempered, judgmental and intolerant with each other, entrenched in our thinking and even turn against each other. We blame others for our problems. The growing anger and loss of civility is a symptom of the fear we have of losing control over our lives. And the symbols and institutions that hold a society together are now being ignored, since they no longer give us the comfort we have come to expect from them.

Somewhere along the way, we forgot how we built this great nation — through our common values, ability to work together, and willingness to care for one another. All are vital for the perpetuation of any society. More alarming is we seem to have lost our ability to risk, to dream and to hope, which has always defined the American character. We seem to be losing confidence and our ability to overcome the threats we always have.