The Fall of Us

by Chris Derson

Alcohol, sex, and money are commonly used ingredients for evil. Often associated with various vices, they can fracture society and often destroy lives. Every day I read about how people, society, and culture are “not what they used to be” and how the world is upside down. Everyone blames someone else. Various memes that state “we are not the same” and some negative perspective about millennials, liberals, right wing, etc. are all included in the recipe for hate. Everyone seems to blame everyone else for everything. The problem is that everyone is guilty for everything.

Alcohol

Celebratory drinks, just something to unwind. Alcohol suppresses our brain’s ability to exercise sound judgement and proper decision making. Alcohol causes good people to do bad things. Alcohol provides people with a different lens to look at their own life. It takes away the stress and worry. It breaks the ice. It causes you to do things you wouldn’t if you did not have it. Almost all social events involve alcohol. Music, movies, and tv shows all display and encourage the use of alcohol to increase the fun of any given event. But why ? Why can’t we just enjoy life raw. Why do we have to mask reality with alcohol. Using alcohol to “unwind” is self medicating. There is no other way to look at it.

I have observed many people destroy their relationships under the influence of alcohol. The liquid warmth sweetens the attention they’re getting on social media (or at the bar) and they ignore the fact that they are in a relationship with someone. They flirt with temptation, dance with the devil, and end up hurting the ones they love. Once the alcohol wears off they have to live with the decisions they made while they were under the influence. The anxiety and stress of their terrible decisions comes rushing in and they must hide or confront their actions. This often results in more alcohol use to numb the pain and erase the memory of their actions. Alcohol contributes to our fall.

Sex

Sex sells; it creates, motivates, and elevates relationships. Sex is everywhere from subliminal advertising to outright pornography. Sex catches the eyes and ears of all audiences. Everything seems to be about sex these days. News articles highlight how much money people are making using social media platforms to create sexual content and pornography. People are glued to their phones watching videos and images of subliminal sexual nature.

An example of subliminal sexual nature is the video which has an attractive person (possibly dressed in a scantily manner) performing some challenge, dance, gam, etc. It’s not outright sexual, but, it catches the eye and pulls the audience in. There are groups who advocate for open relationships. They say that open relationships can be good for a couple. An open relationship will lead down the path of destruction. When people entertain and engage in sexual activity, their sexual “appetites” increase. This increase in sexual appetite is what causes pornography addictions and deviant sexual practices (swinging/spouse sharing).

When men and women become addicted to pornography they fail to see the value in their own relationships. Their “sexual stomachs” have expanded and their normal intimate relationships no longer satisfy their hunger. They no longer become aroused by their significant other because they have been exposed to more “appetizing” and intense sexually explicit activity/content. This contributes to the fall of us.

Money

We can’t live without it. Everything requires money and nothing is free. It has been so since the dawn of time. It hasn’t always been green paper though. Provisions have often been used in trading vice payment through a form of paper or digital currency. News and social media promote the gain of wealth. The world has moved to “life subscription services.” Companies know it is more of a profit to charge a monthly fee than to offer a one time solution/product. “Lease” the service, don’t sell it is the mantra.

Employers say people “no longer want to work”. No , that is not the problem. People are no longer able to work a monotonous job for bare minimum wage. We cannot live off of minimum wage. There is no shortage of educated, talented, reliable, and good people. I assure you that God has provided this world with and will continue to provide this world with doctors, scientists, engineers, dreamers, laborers, mothers, fathers, and children. Something to remember is that when we leave this world, not one penny will go to our grave with us. We as people set the prices. How have we set the prices so high that we ourselves cannot afford that in which we have established ? Money contributes to our fall.

These vices have us clamped in society. Media (including social media) platforms spread the fire. These platforms advertise and promote the life you don’t have (and you don’t need). They tell you that everyone else is doing it, whatever “it” is. We as a society must fast from these desires and exercise restraint. We must turn our eyes away from sexually immoral desires. We must find a different way to cope with a “long week” or anxiety. We must remember that we as people set the prices for the things we create. We must remember that when we pass on,  no worldly currency will purchase a ticket into the kingdom of God. Life is wonderful and the world is beautiful. Let’s break the cycle of evil by remembering right from wrong and treating others like we want to be treated.

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This first appeared in The Havok Journal on December 14, 2023.

Chris spent 12 years in the Marine Corps as a grunt and an operator with MARSOC. After getting out he worked as a police officer for a year and a half and is currently employed in the physical security/safety field.

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.