The "deterioration of public behavior has got to be worrying people who have enough years on them to judge with some perspective"

This article was not viewable without a subscription.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB100014240527023035134045773542212825083…

Sorry the previous did not. The filing came in as a suggestion from a member. I have a subscription to the WSJ so it worked for me

If this link doesn’t work … we are probably out of luck

JIm

i can only see the first paragraph, but the author seems to be starting off on the wrong foot by misrepresenting some statistics.

This week Gallup had a poll showing only 24% of Americans feel we’re on the right track as a nation. That’s a historic low.

the latest from gallup is here:

• Newport, Frank (April 18, 2012). ” http://www.gallup.com/poll/153956/Satisfaction-Levels-Off.aspx] U.S. Satisfaction Levels Off at 24% “. Gallup.

the historic low was 7% in October 2008. 24% looks like the high end of where it’s been for the last two years and something close to average from the last 5.

this is the previous gallup report:

• Saad, Lydia (March 14, 2012). ” http://www.gallup.com/poll/153230/Satisfaction-Ties-Month-High.aspx] U.S. Satisfaction Ties 10-Month High “. Gallup.

Here’s the link from Drudge Report to the article

http://online.wsj.com/article/declarations.html

this link works for me. Article is worthwhile

still only get the first paragraph without a subscription.

did find this response to noonan’s ideas:
Randall, Eric (April 20, 2012). ” http://www.theatlanticwire.com/business/2012/04/peggy-noonan-doesnt-wha… Peggy Noonan Doesn’t Like What She’s Seeing on YouTube “. The Atlantic Wire.

This is a worry Noonan has expressed elsewhere, but in this case, her evidence seems flawed. We’ve made the point before, and we’ll make it again, that the internet allows us to encounter disturbing people and things, but this isn’t conclusive evidence that there are suddenly more of those disturbing things in existence. Platforms like YouTube and Twitter, and devices like smartphone cameras, make it easier for us to share our outrage. Thus, an unfriendly encounter between a TSA agent and an airline traveler, which would have remained unseen years ago, can now make its way to Noonan’s laptop. But that doesn’t mean there are more scandalous encounters than at some other time in history.