Immaturity...

US mass culture (as portrayed in the media) and large segments of the US population, is often described as stuck in adolescence. In looking at the psychology behind these patterns, it seems that much of it may be related to a lack of comfort with oneself. When we are not comfortable with ourselves, our own humanity, it tends to be expressed in unwise behavior. Realizing this, it opens for compassion and possibly a more efficient strategy to change.

Some of the signs....

Youth
Youth is seen as an ideal, and there is a lack of appreciation for wisdom gained through a long life.
+ The beneficial aspect is an emphasis on health and activity, even late in life
- The less beneficial aspect is a de-emphasis on the importance of life wisdom
* A sign of lack of comfort with the natural life processes, of alienation and adherence to ideas that do not conform to reality. When we are comfortable with the life processes, we are more comfortable with the natural biolgical aging.

Attention Span
Short attention spans and less patience with experiences that take a longer time and mature slowly (and more deeply): reading a book or living in one place for a long time and becoming intimate with the place and people.
+ It allows for curiosity and exploration
- It tends to prevent deeper exploration of one area
* A sign of lack of comfort with life as it is. When we are comfortable with life as it is, in all its many manifestations, we can stay with the situation and hold it (and allow it to expand us).

Oversimplification
One-dimensional view of the world. Tends to emphasize black-and-white views, and "quick fixes" such as wars to "prevent" terrorism.
+ Leads to action
- Leads to strategies that do not take into account deeper causes and thus tend to be flawed

Lack of empathy
There is typically not a strong experience of our common humanity and of seeing oneself in the other.
+ Difficult to see any desirable effects
- Tendency towards dismissing the validity in other's experience of the world (based on their history), and lack of concern of ones impact on others.
* A sign of lack of comfort with oneself. When we see in ourselves what we see in others, we see our common humanity and open up for compassion.

Superficiality
Political and other decisions are often made based on superficial reasons or blind ideology, not on substance or research.
+ ?
- Strategies are often chosen that do not meet people's needs (e.g. poor people support political candidates that serve corporations and weaken the position of the poor)

Masculinity
Unhealthy/immature expressions of "masculinity" are seen as ideals.
+ ?
- It causes behavior that leads to deteriorating relationships, does not allow people to feel comfortable in themselves as they are, and prevents maturation.
* This is a sign of lack of comfort with oneself, especially the feminine qualities. When we give ourselves permission to freely explore with both masculine and feminine qualities in ourselves we become familiar with them, express them, and allow them to mature and freely integrate.

Rigidity
Modifying one's views is seen as wishy-washy
+ ?
- Pushes people into fixed patterns and rigidity, and does not allow for changed views/approaches when the situation calls for it (due to different situation, new information/experiences).
* Another sign of lack of comfort with oneself. When we allow ourselves to fluidly experience and express what comes up, there is no need for holding onto abstract ideas/ideologies or rigidity.

Denial
There is a deep denial of many of the problems we face, internationally and in the US: Unraveling ecosystems, increasing gap between rich and poor (leading to social instability), peak oil (the end of the petroleum age), lack of a truly democratic system in the US (two-party system, flawed election process), and the dangers of corporate globalization, corporate media and corporate sponsored politicians.
+ ? (makes people feel happy in the short run, I guess)
- Very dangerous in the long run...
* This is also a sign of lack of comfort with oneself, a lack of fluidity. When we are comfortable with ourselves, all our many aspects, then we also learn to be comfortable with new things/insights as they come up. We allow ourselves to take them into account, express them and allow them to inform our choices and actions.