Being Catholic #408: When Small Norms Break: From Broken Windows to Moral Collapse

Catholic Spirit Radio · Aug 29, 2026 · 55m

Host Bob Johnston and his wife Lynn discuss how seemingly small transgressions of social norms — from traffic habits to cultural idiosyncrasies — can accumulate and weaken society, drawing on the "broken windows" idea and Herman Melville's Billy Budd to illustrate the need for law and order. They also examine the modern housing crisis, arguing that inflated prices, zoning limits, and changing values have put homeownership out of reach for many young people, and consider the cultural and moral consequences of these trends.