Life today - a Paradox?

Question

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 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, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

“We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, re ad too little, 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.

“We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

“We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

“These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

“Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.





“Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

“Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

“Remember, to say, "I love you" to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

“Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

“Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

“AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

“Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.”









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BTW - this was not written by George Carlin [as several emails state] but rather by Dr .Bob Moorhead in his piece 'The Paradox of Our Age' contained in "Words Aptly Spoken"

I hear ya', Poindexter but sadly enough the daily news has evidence of each and every point that is made in this piece - life in the aggregate sense HAS changed, although our material benefits and technology have skyrocketed...

ms. Nose....sorry if this bothered you, it was written by a fairly well known minister and author and points out [I think fairly] work we have to do in our society today, yet also shows the great things we can do and feel for each other. Drivel? IMHO I think not

Answer 1

It always amazes me how quickly some are ready to attack an idea or thought. No one has asked anyone to adopt or even embrace the questioner's thoughts. They are offered simply as an opinion. For myself and my beliefs, you, or who ever wrote this, have/has hit the nail on the head. Fortunately there are those of us who have learned to stop and smell the roses and to appreciate what we have. Especially the ones we care about, be it friends or family. Thank you for offering this as food for thought. A star for you in return.

Answer 2

Yes; and yet you could almost say the opposite for people living in the third world. We judge everything from our own point of view, and forget there are many more far less fortunate who posses few of these paradoxes. So it could be written: - We have smaller shanties but larger families Fewer conveniences but more time No education and live by our wit etc, etc..

Answer 3

I agree! But some of us have done a turn around & for various reasons.
Our age, is very like how Rome was, before its fall. They too, had all of the above but in a slightly different way, & we know what happened to them!
Some of us live by the words in" Desiderata."

Answer 4

I would say that folk that have the mind set and the time on their hands to sit down and write this sort of negative narrative would be much better occupied getting off their backsides and finding out what real llife is about.

It is so easy to be dismissive if all you have in your life is that which would be easily caste off except that the change is too great for the feeble to make.

Sorry - but this sort of duplicated drivel gets on my nerves.

Repeatious boring and downbeat.

Smile - its worth a million words like this.

Answer 5

There's a lot of truth in them thar words. We live simple lives and like it that way. In fact, we confess to feeling some contempt for the ostentatious.

Answer 6

Thank you for sharing this VERY Thought Worthy question.
I am sending this to the people I love that have a computer for sure!

Answer 7

That is a bunch of bs. Life is great, we are living in the most fantastic of times so far.

Answer 8

Thank you for sharing this with us. I have to remind myself everyday that life will get better.

Answer 9

ach! lassie to many words it makes me head hurt now i know what happened to goldwing lol

all in all i agree with dragon