Reply #17: The violent crime rate in the United States has been dropping for years ... [View All]

[spin]

The violent crime rate of the United States, 1960 to 2005.

As has the property crime rate.


The property crime rate of the US, 1960 to 2005.

Note: source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_the_United_States



There is a LOT of anger in the United States today.

The United States of Anger
Judith Parker Harris
Posted: September 3, 2009 05:56 PM

There isn't much that unites us these days except that a lot of us are really angry. We've got liberal vs. conservative, choice vs. life, young vs. old, rich vs. poor, male s. female, My God vs. your God. Why so angry? Maybe it is because everyone's feeling out of control about everything. Try substituting consciousness for control. Listen to what is coming out of your mouth and then decide who's running this show?

***snip***

While we often can't change the situation, we can change a lot about our attitudes, habits and opinions by altering the way we act and react. For instance, when you start going down a negative thinking path of judgment, criticism or blame, try substituting compassion, wisdom and understanding. Pause, until the knee jerk reactions of anger and fear subside. Think for a moment and explain your thoughts based on the reframing of logic and example taken from current events rather than past, often regrettable, history. Before we can learn new things we have to make our current assumptions explicit and find ways to challenge them. The solution is un-learning the mental model we use to explain the world.

We agonize over a health care plan that doesn't yet exist, and fill in the blanks with fear and anger. We watch the news each night to learn of more murders in our local neighborhoods. For What?

***snip***

The miracle of human life is that we can change. We actually develop our neural wiring in direct response to our life's experiences. If you decide it's in your interest to be a better boss, manager, employee, mate, child, friend, or citizen of the world, you can achieve that goal by changing your own neural wiring -- the way you think and feel about every role you play in life.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judith-parker-harris/the-united-states-of-ange_b_276924.html