We've switched from a culture that was interested in

The words of Stephen King lament a great turning of the ages: a shift from a culture rooted in manufacturing, economics, and politics, toward one consumed by entertainment. Once, nations measured their strength by the goods they forged, the ideas they debated, and the role they played in the affairs of the world. Now, he warns, we measure our strength by the spectacles that amuse us, by the flickering images on a screen, by the idols of fleeting fame. This transformation is not merely a change of interest—it is a change of spirit, a redirection of the soul of a people.

For in the past, to labor in factories, to study the science of trade, or to wrestle with politics was to take part in the building of civilization itself. Such efforts demanded seriousness, sacrifice, and vision. But in the present age, King observes, attention bends toward the theater of distraction. The laughter of sitcoms, the roar of stadiums, and the endless scroll of entertainment begin to drown out the deeper voices of duty and responsibility. The people, hungering for diversion, forget that nations cannot stand upon amusement alone.

History warns us of such decline. The glory of Rome was not lost in battle alone, but also in the decay of its seriousness. Once a republic of farmers, soldiers, and statesmen, Rome became a city of games and spectacles. The emperors, knowing the people’s hunger, gave them bread and circuses, until the citizens cared more for the outcome of a chariot race than for the fate of the empire. So too does King’s warning echo across time: a culture that forgets its foundations will one day find them crumbling.

Yet his words are not without hope. For just as cultures can descend into distraction, they can also awaken. The fire of seriousness need not be lost—it can be rekindled. Every generation is offered a choice: to seek only amusement, or to once more take up the harder tasks of economics, politics, and creation. Entertainment need not be the enemy, but when it becomes the master, the deeper pillars of society are left unattended, and the roof of civilization begins to sag.

So let this be remembered: amusement is sweet, but it is not sustenance. A people that wishes to endure must return again and again to the fields of labor, the halls of learning, and the councils of governance. For without these, no culture can remain strong. King’s words, spoken in our time, echo the ancient truth: a society that lives only to be entertained may glitter for a moment, but it will not stand the test of ages.