Education will either direct souls to the Good, True, and Beautiful or the Bad, False, and Ugly. It is the responsibility of parents to always be the shining lights constantly guiding souls to the Good, True, and Beautiful. It is not the first responsibility of good teachers and schools, though good teachers and good schools are doing this. It is the first responsibility of parents to seek the Good, True, and Beautiful for their children. Good teachers and good schools simply reinforce this training of the soul in prudence that starts with parents.
Wealth and isolation. These two characteristics of our culture are not unrelated. The more we have, the more isolated we become, and the less we notice or care about others. The COVID lockdowns were devised and imposed by the wealthy, the so-called “laptop class,” who could afford to blithely sequester themselves and go on with life. There was a cruel indifference to how such isolation would further impoverish the poor. Those signs proclaiming “We’re all in this together” were absolute nonsense.
Throughout the last decade, the number of people getting married has been plummeting while the divorce rate remains stubbornly high. Not only has this led to a serious breakdown in family life, but it has wreaked havoc on community life as well, particularly church communities. In response, many churches have instituted marriage preparation programs that would help prospective couples understand the commitment they are making and help them work through potential problems with the relationship.
Healing can only be rooted in what is good and true. "In every generation, followers of Christ have seen protecting and caring for vulnerable children as a crucial part of their calling. Today, children are vulnerable to radically changing social conditions, harmful ideas about their minds and bodies, the loss of institutions crucial to their health and well-being, and a barrage of bad news. "
The animal in LaBeouf is the animal of a generation who desires the infinite but has only been fed with the finite. They may have fallen to the edge of the earth, but they will hopefully be brought back with “a twitch upon a thread.” For hope, as LaBeouf is convinced, is “hearing other people’s stories.”