The most critical issue your society is facing.

[aronnax]

What is the most critical issue that you believe your society is facing right now?
It could be economical, political, social or moral.
Long-term or short-term.
Society here can range from anything between a National perspective to the perspective of your township/county/local level government and anything inbetween (state, province, greater city area, etc)

For Americans, because even us non-Americans have already an inkling of what we think is America's most critical issue, perhaps you could tell us more about a regional/state/county/town/city specific issue.

Two rules to maintain.

1) No fights
We're going to have a lot disagreements over the most critical issue and it will be very easy for this to derail with another abortion/gay marriage/religious debate.
Let's try to keep things friendly. If you disagree, discuss why as oppose to argue over who is correct.

2) When I say most critical, I mean just one issue.


Singapore's most critical issue.

I believe that Singapore's most critical issue is the political apathy that runs strong in the country. I don't mean like a low turn-out for votes or feeling that the political system is useless, but rather, a wide-scale cultural apathy to talk about anything that might be remotely related to politics.

In Singapore, partly due to attitudes and partly due to state censorship, A large majority (though not all) Singaporeans do not care much about their country's political path. They don't seem to be interested the laws that the Parliament makes, or care about what reforms may be needed to better economy, education, health, politics and so on. The only time when the people get really riled up is during the few weeks before and after election time and afterwards, the country goes into a political coma.

Keep in mind that this also applies to most media platforms.

When Singaporeans do have a mildly political interest, most of it is very trivial, such as whether or not Singaporeans are courteous enough or they usually revolve around economic self-interest. And even that, it usually isn't strong. The only important issue that brings enough discussion is immigration and that however, is full of xenophobic populism.

The problem that this causes is that it basically allows the government to have a free hand in many issues. For example, foreign issues are almost never talked about. Things like environmentalism, welfare, economic stimulus, housing market reform, which should be topics of heavy discussion, are generally just dismissed as 'not my problem'.

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

Abortion

 

[civver_764]

Inequality

 

[Tee Kay]

Climate change

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Civil War 2

 

[downtown]

I think Chicago's single most pressing issue is gang violence, which helps keep nearly half the city in poverty and fear. Making gang-neighborhoods safe again will go a long way towards improving educational and economic outcomes.

For the United States, I think it's producing a most equitable and competitive education system. The current system flagrantly dismisses poor children before they get a chance, and doesn't adequately prepare many (even middle class) kids for the skills they need to succeed today. More than anything else, school reform is the civil rights issue of my generation.

 

[aronnax]

Abortion

Inequality

Climate change

Civil War 2

I was hoping for more explanation.
Something more like downtown's.

I think Chicago's single most pressing issue is gang violence, which helps keep nearly half the city in poverty and fear. Making gang-neighborhoods safe again will go a long way towards improving educational and economic outcomes.

For the United States, I think it's producing a most equitable and competitive education system. The current system flagrantly dismisses poor children before they get a chance, and doesn't adequately prepare many (even middle class) kids for the skills they need to succeed today. More than anything else, school reform is the civil rights issue of my generation.

I didn't think gang violence was a problem in Chicago. I had an image then Chicago is generally well off and well run and that Detroit was the one overrun with organised crime and gang violence.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Oh I was just joking and going along with the other derail attempts. Sorry to dissapoint.

 

[downtown]

I didn't think gang violence was a problem in Chicago. I had an image then Chicago is generally well off and well run and that Detroit was the one overrun with organised crime and gang violence.

The northeastern part of the city, along Lake Michigan, is relatively affluent, along with the downtown loop. Recently though, the western and southern sides of the city have exploded in gang turf wars, as the largest gangs have begun to splinter into dozens of tiny groups, which has caused the murder rate to skyrocket. Over the summer, Chicago averaged more than 1 homicide a day, and it's been near the top of gun related violence in the US over the last few years.

The city almost deployed the National Guard back in...I want to say 2010? It's been pretty bad, but because it isn't citywide, it is only recently getting the attention it deserves.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

I would say social mobility for Germany.
The eucation system is tailored to give up on a large segment of people (mainly immigrants and children of poor and uneducated Germans). Some would say demographic change is Germany's biggest challenge, but this could be fixed by making better use of the young people we have now. If we just focus on encouraging chuldbirth without fixing the education system first we'll just end up with more unemployed in 20 years.

 

[kochman]

USA...
Glorification of violence in the media/entertainment world...
Fearmongering in politics funded by corporations which leads to a monopoly of power between a false dichotomy that is completely in cahoots with each other despite theatrics as we slowly slip into a police state...
The way the British spell "civilisation"...

 

[aronnax]

The northeastern part of the city, along Lake Michigan, is relatively affluent, along with the downtown loop. Recently though, the western and southern sides of the city have exploded in gang turf wars, as the largest gangs have begun to splinter into dozens of tiny groups, which has caused the murder rate to skyrocket. Over the summer, Chicago averaged more than 1 homicide a day, and it's been near the top of gun related violence in the US over the last few years.

The city almost deployed the National Guard back in...I want to say 2010? It's been pretty bad, but because it isn't citywide, it is only recently getting the attention it deserves.

So I assume 'Happy Endings' is set more in the affluent areas.
How has the police and local government been reacting to it, aside from sending in the National Guard.

I would say social mobility for Germany.
The education system is tailored to give up on a large segment of people (mainly immigrants and children of poor and uneducated Germans). Some would say demographic change is Germany's biggest challenge, but this could be fixed by making better use of the young people we have now. If we just focus on encouraging childbirth without fixing the education system first we'll just end up with more unemployed in 20 years.

What makes Germany's education system so disadvantages to the groups that you mentioned?

 

[rugbyLEAGUEfan]

I was hoping for more explanation.
Something more like Downtown's

Sorry man. I felt bad after three or so one word posts followed and the effort you put into writing a quality OP. Doubly so as I don't consider abortion a big issue, I just wanted to stir the pot.

Ok, well I think the current marginalization (and that term is being generous to the rest of us) of aboriginies is a critical issue that Australia needs to address. It's outrageous that the people who occupied this place for 40,000 years are now by far, on pretty much any metric at the bottom rung of society. For a very wealthy nation, aboriginies by and large live in fourth world conditions. I would struggle to think of any other nation on earth where it's indigenous population is treated with less respect. It actually verges on hatred. For a country that prides itself on the concept of the "fair go", this principal is exposed as myth.

Funny thing is, i believe it holds us back. I'm sure that Australia would be better off if our "founding fathers" were essentially venerated as the custodians they once were. If we could get into this mindset I think change on the ground would quickly follow.

 

[WindFish]

The European Question.

There is going to be a time soon where the status quo isn't going to slice it and we have to decide as a nation if we want to be the Yankee lapdog or have both feet in Brussels.

Personally, I want my country to be in at the heart of Europe making decisions and acting as a counterweight to the Franco-German axis.

 

[GoodSarmatian]

What makes Germany's education system so disadvantages to the groups that you mentioned?

After completing four years of primary school, children go to one of three kinds of schools for secondary education: Hauptschule, Realschule and Gymnasium., depending on a (non-binding) teacher's recommendation. The problem here is that teachers are also just people with all their little conscious and subconcious prejudices and that parent's with an university degree won't accept it if someone tells them their ten year old son isn't fit for Gymnasium (which is the kind of school you have to graduate from if you want to get an University education), while uneducated/ immigrant parents don't know a lot about the education system and don't complain much. Therefore children are sorted not according to intelligence or performance, but mostly according to their parents' level of education. Granted, I'm simplifying the problem somewhat, but the end result is that nowadays most university students have parents who also went to university and poorer families are left behind. Doctors and Lawyers in particular tend to build dynasties.
Germany is too small to afford a competitive education system that wastes so much potential.

 

[Loppan Torkel]

It's all too connected to look at it nationally, but we'll probably suffer economically in the short term, with mass unemployments creeping up here from Southern Europe, resulting in social destabilization in one way or another.

Longterm, we'll probably suffer when the shift of power occurs from having a base in a Christian tradition to another one.

 

[kochman]

The European Question.

There is going to be a time soon where the status quo isn't going to slice it and we have to decide as a nation if we want to be the Yankee lapdog or have both feet in Brussels.

Personally, I want my country to be in at the heart of Europe making decisions and acting as a counterweight to the Franco-German axis.

And I want you to be our lapdog, the roles have quite reversed since the Revolution, mate! We want our turn!

 

[GoodSarmatian]

And I want you to be our lapdog, the roles have quite reversed since the Revolution, mate! We want our turn!

Did you spend the Bush/Blair years under a rock ?

 

[Patroklos]

Twinkie shortage.

 

[Borachio]

Youth unemployment.

Far too many young people I know have had no real opportunity for meaningful work.

And it is said that if you make it to your mid-twenties without a job, your life prospects are substantially reduced - in terms of future employment, earnings, health and life expectancy.