Historian Arnold Toynbee observed “an autopsy of history would show that all great nations commit suicide.”
It’s hard not to think about this reading the results of the latest Wall Street Journal-NORC poll, appearing under the headline “America Pulls Back From Values That Once Defined It.”
Only 38 percent of Americans now say patriotism is “very important,” compared to 70 percent in 1998. Thirty-nine percent say religion is “very important,” compared to 62 percent in 1998. And 30 percent say having children is “very important” compared to 59 percent in 1998.
The results that follow from these attitudes are not surprising.
Marriage rates are way down. Birthrates are way down.
In 1990, 67 percent of American adults between the ages of 25–54 were married. This was down to 51 percent in 2021.
In 2020, there were 56 births in the United States for every 1,000 women ages 15–44. In 1990, there were 70.9.
And, among the births we do have, in 2021, 40 percent of our babies were born to unmarried mothers.
Not surprisingly, our population is hardly growing. In 2022, the U.S. population increased 0.4 percent, a modest increase from the 0.1 percent increase in 2021, the lowest annual population growth since the founding of the nation.
Looking at the same polling data results among the youngest sector of our population, the picture looks even more dismal.
Among those under 30, just 23 percent say patriotism is “very important” to them, 31 percent say religion is “very important,” and 23 percent say having children is “very important.”
What is important to Americans today?
Although 70 percent say marriage is either “very important” or “somewhat important,” 65 percent say belief in God is “very important” or “somewhat important,” 73 percent say patriotism is “very important” or “somewhat important,” 91 percent say self-fulfillment is “very important” or “somewhat important,” and 90 percent say money is “very important” or “somewhat important.”
The devaluing of marriage, children, and patriotism, and the focus on “self-fulfillment” and money are, of course, signs of a culture sunk into egotism and materialism, with a loss of a sense of being part of something larger than oneself.
It is not an encouraging picture for a country that hopes to have a future.
Our health care and retirement systems depend on a growing population. Stagnant population growth means more and more retirees per each individual in the workforce. It’s why our Social Security system is bankrupt.
Zero population growth means an aging population and increasing health care costs. In 2019, 56 percent of all health care costs were in age groups 55 and above. The overall burden of health care costs will continue to increase as the percentage of the population over 55 increases.
There are also implications on national security of attitudes that devalue patriotism and national service.
We now have a volunteer military. This can’t work with a population of young people who feel no sense of identity and obligation to their nation.
Again, the results are predictable. In 2022, the Army fell 15,000 short of its recruiting goal.
National defense spending is 3 percent of GDP, very low by historical standards.
The Wall Street Journal reports our Navy’s fleet of ships will shrink to 291 by 2028 from 297 today. And the number of aircrafts in the Air Force is diminishing.
Only 21 percent of those surveyed say that our country “stands above all countries in the world.”
But our country is only the product of its citizenry. A free nation under God becomes less free, and less great, as the Creator is traded in for materialism and egotism.
We have elections coming in 2024. President Joe Biden, assuming he runs, will run on more of what is destroying our nation. It is up to Republicans to run on principles and ideals, in hope that we can mend our rapidly sinking ship of state.
