Baby Boomers think back about three or four decades. When we were younger didn’t the world seem to be a simpler, more rational place? Granted, our youthful generation produced dramatic social change, fist-pumping militants, barefoot hippies, and psychedelic drugs. Ours was a tumultuous yet evolving culture that led pundits to predict that because of the recklessness of our generation the world was going to hell in a handbasket. Look at the world today. Now look back at the days of our youth. Now look at the world today. Tell me is the basket half full or half empty?
The point is that overall today’s society seems ten times more out of sync than it was back in the day. The 21st century cultural landscape is muddier than the Woodstock Festival. Normalcy, privacy, and civility are things of the past. Call the present the go-along-to-get-along society, because there is a lot of denial and pretending going on. People are pretending to accept things that in their heart they feel are morally wrong. Political correctness rules over common sense, and PC has virtually annihilated the spontaneity of “call it as you see it.” The trend now is to pretend that you don’t see something inappropriate or unethical even if it is in plain sight. You can no longer call a spade a spade, offer a prayer in a public forum or use the world God without offending someone.
Violence and iniquity is spreading like blood gushing from a gunshot wound, and overreaction has reached new heights, from body scanning before plane trips to jostling in the office. Jokingly say to a co-worker, “Pal, if you borrow my stapler again without returning it, I’ll kill you,” and you are liable to find yourself snatched outside your cubicle, thrown flat on your belly, hands cuffed behind your back and swat team rifles pointed at your head. Don’t try to explain that you were only kidding. Don’t blink. Don’t sneeze. Don’t even inhale.
Thanks to texting and technology, even the English language is convoluted. Decades ago, when people thought of a mouse they visualized a creepy rodent scurrying across the floor. Now unless your home is infested with the critters, the tech savvy immediately think of a pointing device used to direct images on a computer screen. Proper grammar and spelling have become a hodgepodge of gobbledygook. We — used to be spelled w-e, not Wii. Now, we is still us, but Wii is a video game console. Who would have thunk it? Yes, I said thunk. Thanx u.
Boomers, look at the world today. Now look back at the days of our youth. Now look at the world today. Tell me is the basket half full or half empty?