Challenges in society: Comparison

On the subject of the social challenges, Juvenal's Satire III  gives some enlightening parallel of this particular social challenge of today to that of Rome. It hints that Rome also struggled with this ignorance and bias within their society as well. In focusing on this pattern of the lack of responsibility, Juvenal's Satire III reveals that there was struggle within the social classes and "keeping up with the Jones'" and getting ahead or being bigger and better on the social ladder.

Feeling entitled not only is destructive but brings a whole new level of pride in and essential, we could add, destroys whatever level of patience we may possess because it is swallowed up in entitlement. To that Juvenal's Satire III says, "What man wins favour nowadays unless he be an accomplice-one whose soul seethes and burns with secrets that must never be disclosed? No one who has imparted to you an innocent secret thinks he owes you anything, or will ever bestow on you a favour;"

A lack of responsibility has rippled through society. It did not originate, however it may have escalated, in our day. There was also a major social challenge for the Romans concerning this responsibility cop-out. Taking responsibility not only implies leadership, but it often can quietly, more often powerfully be taken in extreme opposites. This lack of responsibility is starkly contrasted when it says, "one who by a defect of his race never shares a friend, but keeps him all to himself. For when once he has dropped into a facile ear one particle of his own and his country's poison, I am thrust from the door, and all my long years of servitude go for nothing. Nowhere is it so easy as at Rome to throw an old client overboard." Any responsibility there? Of course not! One falls into his own isolated state, thus refusing to accept the happenings of "now" and  dwell in sadness. But as you do this you are in some ways throwing others overboard as it says. Its incredible how this rippling responsibility as we see in Rome has not recovered itself and is still a social challenge of today's society.

Another struggle was it exposes Rome's vanity and attraction to materialism. Setting the scene, it talks about how in Rome there was a bit of a high-maintenance spirit that was contagious and, as implied, was esteemed as a social norm saying, "--the first question asked will be as to his wealth, the last about his character: 'how many slaves does he keep?' 'how many acres does he own?' 'how big and how many are his dessert dishes?' A man's word is believed in exact proportion to the amount of cash which he keeps in his strong-box." 
How crazy! The opinion of a man and his credibility depended on how much money he made and his success? The screaming priority of class and cash before character is in fact still common in our society today. Do we discern the credibility of society and man's word based on his income and financial strategy and/or stability?

Our social challenge of technology differs from all of these and is unique to our society. Centuries ago, the Romans-- though a developed civilization-- did not have iPhones and iPads to leech onto and disconnect themselves from the real world. Although it is a bit ironic, their disconnection from technology may have completely eliminated this as a social challenge or even a potential problem.