In quality of life rankings, the Czech Republic ranks 24th out of 149 countries. In other similar statistics, the Czech Republic ranks high and is one of the most developed societies in the world. The quality of life has statistically improved. However, we are not so happy and we are not so satisfied. While there may not be as many people in real poverty (if not enough to take its existence seriously), it is undeniable that comfort is closely related to moral poverty. And this is something we should not be indifferent to, unless we subscribe to the destructive philosophy of “damned if you enjoy it.”
Above all, let us be optimistic. We are not trying to moralize anyone. Let us truly rejoice that we are thriving as a society. Our economy is growing, our social standards are high, and our health and education are at satisfactory levels. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that as our standard of living rises, important values such as solidarity, empathy, and decency are beginning to disappear from our society. Where once it was commonplace for young people to give up their seats to older people on public transportation, today it is the exception. Teachers, perhaps in the spirit of “I will correct what my parents have neglected,” do not instruct their students to behave politely. However, interaction between schools and parents should be a given.
As a society, we should focus our efforts on correcting and nurturing our society. Because if we are about to have or have had a family, we could not care less about our offspring. At the same time, we will place more emphasis on good manners and being considerate of our surroundings.
If we look back to the past, we will see that many civilizations have been destroyed precisely because of the maturation of cultural and spiritual values and a certain dehumanization. Surely, there is no harm in learning from the past before it is too late. Lest our outlook and stability become a mere calm before the storm.