Where to Go from Here? – 7
Mark’s stated his purpose for publishing videos is to reveal personal, negative results of bad parenting. He wants viewers to understand the importance of great parenting and hopes others will become better parents because of viewing his videos. I described some characteristics of quality parenting in “The Importance of a Complete Family – 3.” One factor I did not mention in the number 3 message is emphasized by Mark in “How Childhood Trauma Destroys Us.” Parents must provide unconditional love for their children that is demonstrated in many ways through their behavior. Love is the greatest of all in all things human.
But transitioning American society from negative parenting practices by too many adults to them becoming loving and caring parents involves complex social issues. In thinking about these issues, important questions are never asked and certainly not investigated. Sometimes there seems to be diversions presented that deflect American thinking away from the central issues involved. I do not understand why.
Mark demonstrates again and again real, personal negative results of bad parenting. Sixty years ago, the type of negative parenting practices experienced today did not exist anywhere near the magnitude seen today. Other negative factors existed but real progress has been made to correct some. But greater problems have developed that did not previously exist, involving violence, child abuse, and drug addiction.
To understand and correct negative social issues, we must strive to understand complex “why questions” that must be identified and investigated.
Following Mark’s lead, in future messages I discuss more detail issues involving families. Too often social critics focus on fragmented, negative problems but do not discuss the totality of better family models. A difference in my approach is to discuss overarching positive, social models like that shown in message number 3. What I write is not perfect, but makes an effort to put issues into an understandable context of the social whole.
And never lose faith. If we can mess up our society, we can also identify and initiate corrective actions to overcome our self-created challenges. July 2, 2025