Thoughts Following 9/11

1-14-2002:  I wonder if the 21st century might see a competition among various cultures for survival. What one might expect to see survive might be a melange of various cultural memes and traditions. The U. S. has picked up words and foods from various ethnic groups. Mexican and Italian restaurants are very popular in the U. S, as are Chinese and Japanese restaurants. And there are cultural enclaves within our cities, including mosques and synagogues. 
    There's certainly nothing that says that Western culture is better than other cultures, or that we must all endorse the same culture. I like the idea of not putting all our eggs in one basket. And sometimes, I have concerns myself about where our culture is heading. 
    One factor that needs to be considered in discussions of morality and moral degeneration is that the elder generation has always accused the world of going to hell in a handbasket. I wish I had a copy of the jeremiad, written in Sanskrit, that tells how the younger generation has lost all respect for their elders, has become perverted and hedonistic, and how how lazy and irresponsible they've gotten. 
    We've been living through a time when populations have shifted from rural to urban environments. More than half the world's population now lives in cities. We're no longer living in small towns where everyone knows everyone else' family history. With modern communications and transportation being what they are, we're going global at a startling rate. There will be changes in lifestyle as these other changes occur. 
    In the end, we all need to get along with each other, as the world becomes smaller and smaller. India and Pakistan will be neighbors for a long time.