국민소득이 3만 6,000달러에 이르는 선진국이 되었음에도 불구하고, 국민의 행동과 의식 수준은 여전히 과거의 버릇을 버리지 못하고 있어 문제가 되고 있다.
일반적으로 소득 수준이 높아지고 삶이 풍족해지면, 이에 비례해 국민 의식과행동 또한 성숙해지는 것이 보통이다. 그렇게 되면 문화적 가치를 공유하는 사회가 형성되고, 
국가 구성원 간의 신뢰와 배려가 숨 쉬는 따뜻한 사회가 되어야한다. 그것이야말로 진정한 선진국의 모습이다.그러나 우리의 현실은 너무나 빠르게 경제 대국이 되다 보니,
덕망도, 여유도,배려와 양보도 없는 천민자본주의적 이기심이 만연한 나라가 되어버린 것이 아닌가 하는 자조 섞인 생각이 든다. 우리는 지금 자유를 넘어 방종의 끝자락에 서있다.

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책을 내면서················································3
1장 나쁜 머리는 잘 돌린다 13
1. 사기가 판치는 나라, 사기꾼 천국··························· 15
2. 목적을 위해 수단과 방법을 가리지 않는다···················· 24
3. 남 잘되는 것 못 본다 －시기(猜忌), 질투(嫉妬), 모함(謀陷··)···· 28
4. 시기, 질투, 모함에 쓰러진 역사· ···························· 32
5. 권력을 쥐면 착각에 빠진다 (완장을 차면 설친다··)············ 35
6. 목적을 위해 ‘감성팔이’를 잘한다···························· 41
7. 돈과 빽으로 해결하려는 청탁습성(請託習性) ················· 54
8. 얼굴 없는 폭력 잘한다· ··································· 59
9. 일이 잘못되면 남 탓을 잘한다······························ 64
10. 분별없는 이기주의······································ 67
11. 이기적으로 [부풀리기] 잘한다· ··························· 74
12. 귀농·귀촌에도 발전기금 명목의 ‘텃세’를 뜯는다············· 84
13. 저속한 편견(偏見)으로 남을 깔보는 버릇···················· 88
14. 세금을 공돈 취급하는 국민 양아치들· ······················ 98

2장 의식과 행동이 병든 사회 105
1. 가짜와 괴담(怪談)에 부화뇌동(附和雷同)하는 국민· ·········· 107
2. 허세를 잘 부린다· ······································ 114
3. 저질 문화, 가진 자의 갑질 사회···························· 120
4. 흥분 잘하고 쉽게 잊어버리는 냄비근성· ···················· 129
5. 내로남불 하면서 부끄러운 줄 모른다(염치도 없는 사회·)······ 132
6. 끊임없는 분열의 나라, 그러다 망할 것인가··?················ 135
7. 한탕주의 사행심(射倖心)이 많다·························· 142
8. 이기적이라 양보와 배려심이 없다·························· 145
9. 지도층 인성 불량과 위선자가 많다· ························ 151
10. 은혜와 고마움을 잘 잊는다· ····························· 160
11. 사이비 신앙에 잘 빠진다· ······························· 167
12. 못 말리는 빨리빨리 성정(性情) ··························· 170
13. 치욕을 교훈으로 삼지 못한다 (꼭 망해야 정신 차린다··)······ 175
14. 개인은 똑똑한데 협동에는 약하다· ······················· 181
15. 진영논리에 빠져 ‘묻지 마’ 지지자가 많다··················· 186
16. 결정적인 순간에는 지연, 혈연, 학연이 작동한다· ············ 188
17. 인성이 병들어 점점 막가는 세상으로· ····················· 191
18. 쉽게 못 버리는 후진국 버릇· ····························· 203
19. 사소한 것에 목숨을 잘 건다· ····························· 209
20. 고소·고발 세계 1위, 범죄자 천국인가?· ··················· 213
21. 지식과 교양을 쌓는 책을 읽지 않는 국민 · ·················· 216

3장 공공의식이 무너진 나라 221
1. 공(公)과 사(私)의 구별을 잘 못한다· ······················· 223
2. 돈에 공직의 영혼까지 팔고 있다· ·························· 226
3. 절차의 정당성을 잘 잊는 사회· ···························· 235
4. 법과 제도를 악용하는 “법비(法匪)”가 많은 나라· ············· 238
5. 집단 ‘떼법’이 통하는 나라· ······························· 241
6. 개념 없는 국민이 국회를 범죄자 소굴로 만들고 있다·········· 245
7. 모든 국민이 법 앞에 평등하지 않은 나라· ··················· 251
8. 표현의 자유라는 미명(美名)으로 인격 살인 ················· 254
9. 쓰레기도 제자리에 못 버리는 시민 정신· ···················· 257
10. 실정법 위에 ‘국민정서법’이 통하는 나라··················· 260

4장 국가를 견인할 중심축이 붕괴되고 있다 267
1. 야만의 정치가 나라를 병들게 하고 있다· ···················· 269
2. 사법의 정치화와 이념 재판으로 사법 정의 추락· ·············· 275
3. 국가 최고의 지성인 학자들의 인격 타락(墮落)··············· 283
4. 가짜·편파·왜곡된 언론이 사회의 분열과 혼란을 조장한다· ··· 287
5. 종교지도자들의 사명감 일탈· ····························· 293
6. 나라의 미래를 걱정하는 지식인이 없다· ···················· 295

에필로그· ··············································· 298