The Decline of Neatness

Summary:

In “The Decline of Neatness,” Norman Cousins claims that “sloppiness virus” has affected all areas of our society. The phenomena contains our style of dress, our casual speaking habits our apathetic attitude toward violence and brutality, and our ineffective human relationships. First, Cousins points out that wearing the frayed, torn and disheveled is the symbol of the times.

With disheveled, casual or cool look those who think it’s more fashionable, however, Cousins says their looking is as though it had been stamped out by cookie cutters. And the appearance of alienation is their triumphant goal. He follows reasons to discuss the sloppy speech we talk so often today. He says people now use chopped-up phrases instead of complete sentences to communicate, and the ability of English language is descending. Also the screenwriters resist turning in scripts, because the speech is so violent and foul that results in casual attitudes toward all violence and brutality. These could be easily seen in movies and TV that desensitizes us and becomes a mindless violence person.

Finally, he indicates that our human relationships are affected by such sloppiness that can evidently be seen in casual attitudes toward sex in films. We, people, choose to watch these and then lose our feelings and privacy. Cousins in the end concludes that he doesn’t ask us to come back to Victorian attitudes, though he doesn’t want these sloppiness still be there. He suggests people should pursue genuine creativity and know how to locate our best to work.

Reflection:

There are many “sloppiness virus” we can easily find in our society today. Due to the sexual exploitation that “deadens feelings and aunihilates privacy,” our speech, dress, attitudes become worse and sloppy. We, indeed, are easily affect by these phenomena, and how to control all of us not to lose our natural sprits is what we should to think about deeply.

The leadership of this society should make a good example to their notion and educate people what behaviors are right or wrong. To be a fine customs is not a easy job. Most of us are self-absorbed. We just want to go by our way, and don’t want to listen to others’ advices. That is why the sloppiness virus keep increasing rather than diminish. Just like the students or teenagers today, most of them want to dress fashionable, speak rudely or do something special to catch someone’s eye. For example, they would speak with four words, wear strange clothes or hairstyle, do something without manners and destroy the object and so on. Indeed, it work, but they don’t realize what people would think about them. In others’ mind, their performances are so absurd that they are living in their own world with proud having too great self-esteem. However, I believe, one day when they grow up or get order, they will regret to do so, but it’s too late to repent. So we should think twice before we do, or one slip, and you will regret forever.