Hallowed: 1) holy, consecrated (the church stands on hallowed ground) 2) sacred, revered (the university's hallowed halls) (hallowed customs)
Hollow: an unfilled space : cavity, hole
It seems that institutions that once seemed paramount to a "civilized," prosperous and growing culture are crumbling -- or at least being brought into question -- like never before.
Or maybe we're just more aware of it because of the scale of the problem and speed of the news cycle. I'm not sure you can even call it a "cycle" anymore. It's a fire hose of information and misinformation. ... of opinion, fact and speculation -- usually disguised as one of the others.
Generally speaking, things crumble when they get brittle. And things that are brittle, by definition, are stiff.... "stuck in their ways" you might say. The opposite of fluid... willing to take on different shapes as the landscape changes.
Systems -- ways of operating according to certain principles -- I'm guessing generally start out with a reasonably good intent. Social and economic systems come into play as populations grow and needs get more complex. (I'm no scholar... I'm just writing what makes sense to me -- it's an attempt to get a conversation going.)
Belief systems grow out of a need to understand the mysteries of life. As do systems of scientific inquiry.
As they grow, they take on definitions and functions that come from the time in which they're developing. Things get refined as time goes on and as people adjust to new rules of conduct. More definition creates a more complex system - and it becomes brittle and (usually) top heavy in its own particular way.
Think economic... think education... think agriculture... think the medical industry...
Think defense department... think petroleum... I encourage you to name more. It probably won't be difficult.
There are many systems at work that are in the process of creating a world that isn't sustainable on multiple levels.
At some point, the inequality that's spreading is going to go from somebody's fault to everybody's problem. How is it that enough people aren't feeling it yet? Or should I say, the right people? It doesn't take everyone on the planet to make the world a better place for all. Where's the 100th monkey?
I've quoted this before and I'll probably do it again...
WAR IS OVER
IF YOU WANT IT(Ono/Lennon)
Get it? It can change. We can change it.
What is it going to take before people stop screaming about socialism or victims or stifling innovation and decide to do and be whatever it takes to make love happen in this world? It's all we need.