What is Wrong with People?

It is with great sadness that I read the story about the young mother in Philadelphia who placed her dead baby in the trunk of her car. As I read the story I have to ask myself what is wrong with people? We live in a society where tragedy seems to have become an everyday event in our schools and neighborhoods, and because of it, people are becoming more and more apathetic towards their surroundings. You would think that all of this would have just the opposite effect and make people more aware and want to help but it is not. We are becoming numb towards the value of a human life or the welfare of our neighbors. We seem to place more value upon personal belongings and societal status than we do about each other and this is a sad state of affairs.

When I grew up, my neighbors knew whose child I was and would watch and report my doings to my mother and father. I was never afraid to go to a neighbor for help. It was also not uncommon for me to be brought by the ear by my neighbors to them when I did something wrong. Nowadays, people just want to mind their own business.

The idea of a community is fast slipping away as we become more isolationist in our ways. I wonder why this young woman could not go to anyone for help? Why, if she was pregnant, could she not talk to someone? I'm puzzled completely.

The full story, of course, has not been told concerning the reason how the baby died and why it was placed in the trunk of the car. It is even more bizarre that the young woman, a freshman in college, did not have the common sense to go to the authorities or to a local hospital. But, I believe that something is seriously wrong with our society.