A fascinating but nevertheless sad and disheartening look at the many ways in which Americans of different social, economic, and educational classes have "come apart" from each other, and from the traditions of earlier generations, in their adherence to the values that traditionally kept us together, namely marriage, honesty (or, for statistical purposes at least, lack of criminality), industry, and religion. Must reading to understand the modern world, including things I'd rather not have lived to see. A book about class, a book about values, a book about the virtues of snobs and the vices of the lower classes, as well as the vices of snobs and the virtues of the lower classes. A book about religion and education and marriage. A book about social bubbles, geographic and social, and their consequences. Fascinating, fascinating, fascinating.
After being accused of racism for his book The Bell Curve, it is rather unbelievable that Murray would give this book the subtitle that he does ("The State of White America"). But his point is that we cannot assume ethnic minorities are skewing the statistics on crime, illegitimacy, and other modern social pathologies. We can look solely at whites and see the same trends, at least among a certain socioeconomic class, and at the end of the book, when he brings in the statistics for the nation as a whole, including minorities, there's no real difference. These have become, in other words, issues of class and education more so than issues of race.
But the best parts of the book are when Murray addresses deeper philosophical issues than the current differences between American classes, and explains why the four virtues he espouses are central to living a satisfying life. As in:
“Once you start to think through the kinds of accomplishments that . . . lead people to reach old age satisfied with who they have been and what they have done, you will find (I propose) that the accomplishments you have in mind have three things in common. First, the source of satisfaction involves something important. We can get pleasure from trivial things, but pleasure is different from deep satisfaction. Second, the source of satisfaction has involved effort, probably over an extended period of time. . . . Third, some level of personal responsibility for the outcome is essential . . . . You have to be able to say, ‘if it hadn’t been for me, this good thing wouldn’t have come about as it did.’ There aren’t many activities in life that satisfy the three requirements of importance, effort, and responsibility. Having been a good parent qualifies. Being part of a good marriage qualifies. Having done your job well qualifies. Having been a faithful adherent of one of the great religions qualifies. Having been a good neighbor and good friend to those whose lives intersected with yours qualifies. But what else?
Let me put it formally: If we ask what are the domains through which human beings achieve deep satisfactions in life--achieve happiness--the answer is that there are just four: family, vocation, community, and faith . . . . It is not necessary for any individual to make use of all four domains, nor do I array them in a hierarchy. I merely assert that these four are all there are. The stuff of life occurs within those four domains."Charles Murray, Coming Apart
"Responsibility for the consequences of actions is not the price of freedom, but one of its rewards. Knowing that we have responsibility for the consequences of our actions is a major part of what makes life worth living." Charles Murray, Coming Apart
Completed March 13, 2012
Rating: 9/10.
