Is it Just Me, or is America getting to be a Mindless Nation?

It seems as if our Country(or possibly humanity) is getting killed by it's own success. All everyone seems to think about is a comical YouTube video, a Myspace or Facebook status update, what's new with hollywood celebrities, or how they are going to amuse themselves by indulging in temporary, destructive, short term pleasures. I am not asking anyone to solve the great mysteries of life and the universe, but could you please focus on some softer and highly necessary questions such as ''How am I going to attempt to be happy and successful in life?'' or " How can I improve myself as an individual and begin treat others with more respect?''. All I want is to meet an individual who is willing to have a conversation and a thought process with an intellectual value higher than who got drunk, stoned or laid last night but so far I have been out of luck.