The Paradox of Our Time in History The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more, but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but less wellness. We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get angry too quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too seldom, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom. We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often. Weve learned how to make a living, but not a life; weve added years to life, not life to years. Weve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor. Weve conquered outer space, but not inner space; weve done larger things, but not better things. Weve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; weve split the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less; we plan more, but accomplish less. Weve learned to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but lower morals; we have more food, but less appeasement; we build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication; weve become long on quantity, but short on quality. These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion; tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition. These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throw away morality, one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer to quiet to kill our unborn babies. It is a time where corporations found a way to make more profit by outsourcing employment overseas and south of the border. The families that worked for their companies for one, two, three generations were cast aside for the reasons of economical euthanasia. They were told, they were no longer needed. Towns that were once robust have become desolate and ghostly. While the money was being counted, and the champagne was being poured in celebration; the tears of strangers were only water. Our children are passed around on the Friday night exchange like stocks and commodities while parents are out trying to relive a youth that never existed. Parents are giving their children everything they didn’t have as a child but forgot to give them what they did have; a life with foundations. We have sold our souls cheaply for a few hours more of pleasure and became engrossed with things. In a nation that was proud of hard work, strong families, close-knit communities, and our faith in God, too many of us now tend to worship self-indulgence and consumption. Human identity is no longer defined by what one does, but by what one owns. We are building entire neighborhoods, without sidewalks. The metaphor is becoming clear. We spend money we dont have, to buy things we dont need, to impress people we dont like. The soul of our nation has become fragile. We must handle with care. We are passing onto our children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren a debt from the government that has no possibility of ever being repaid because we want to live for the moment. Our lies are speaking just as much about us as our truths. It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom.
Posted on: Tue, 30 Sep 2014 06:26:46 +0000
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