Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Comparing the Good Old Days with the Better Days of Today


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Comparing the Good Old Days with the Better Days of Today
It is likely the “Romanticism” in our society that makes what used to be – better than now. The idea that in days of long ago it were simpler, thus better is one that constantly runs through our thinking over and over again.

The idea that the ‘old stuff’ is what people really enjoyed instead of all the frivolous stuff when have today like iPads and iPods, like HD TV and BlueRay along with all the stuff that is so much fun today.

Or maybe it is the idea that with the simpler life the folk back then had fewer problems than our world has today.  Because with the simpler life there was less corruption and irresponsible people in their communities – so we think.

This morning I read an article in the Toronto Star that refers back to 100 years ago – 1912.  It was the Christmas season at the time and things reported are almost the way it is today.  The reports show that Toronto didn’t live a not so simpler lifestyle than the one we live today.

There was corruption and war at the City Hall of Toronto. A Mayor that thought he had it all wrapped up as a shoe-in for his next term as the leader in his community – was being challenged by a new person.  The story I read showed that if the new person that was challenging the Mayor for his position would only realize that the City of Toronto could save well over $1000 in costly election costs.  The present Mayor could stay in office and all would be well.

No kidding that was suggested in 1912 at Christmas time.

And you have to know that if it appeared in the Toronto Star it was important. There was no internet back at that time and no nightly news on TV.

1912 was a tough year for the world as well. The Titanic had been lost at sea. 

The countries of Britain, France, Germany and Russia were all flexing their stupid muscles with the intent of fighting one another to a death. They all were staging and blowing smoke to lead up to the greatest tragedy of their era… the Great War where over military and civilian casualties were at about 37 million people.  (See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I_casualties )

Really stupid and egotistical MEN were leading the whole world into a War that no one wanted.  Note here that WOMEN couldn’t vote or have a say in anything. They were considered child bearing, housekeeping, worthless humans by all(most) the MEN of 1912. Their place in society was to keep their men HAPPY! (YEP – THE GOOD OLD DAYS!)

Canada had a population of 7.2 million people total.  ‘For King and Country’ would see 1,115,597 people of the British Empire dead for nothing really and many would be Canadian fighting a War that was not ours.

France lost 1,397,800 military and 4, 266,000 military wounded… and they were not even part of the original arguments and political scoundrels that faced each other in anger!  Their country was the prime place where the battles took place.

The German Empire lost 2,050,897 men and had 4,247,143 wounded.  They started the war (kind of) and lost the war.

At that end of that terrible war all the countries were broke and bruised.

December 1912 was the beginning of stupidity – not simpler but rather stupider – in my humble opinion.

And today we decorate our Christmas Trees and our homes to get the old fashioned look of a 100 years ago.


I don’t want my life to look like 1912.  I don’t want it the way it used to be.  And even in my short 68 years I want nothing to do with the ways it was in my father and mother’s day – where he worked for very little money and struggled to put food on our table.

As I reflect back to an earlier day and age (the article of the Star) I am very glad that I live in 2012 – 100 hundred years better.  At least it seems that way.

However…
Toronto today has an egotistical Mayor that will not listen to anyone. He is always right.  He makes the Mayor of 1912 look like a Sunday School Teacher.  And the politics of Toronto didn’t really change that much. http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1306824--hume-toronto-in-2012-felt-like-rob-ford-was-already-gone

And we are just wrapping up another war that no one wanted.  What started with angry men standing behind their veiled threats that had nothing to do with their religion in 2001- “911” saw two big buildings down in New York fall… and this War begin.

There are a lot of similarities with the 1912 and 2012… oh boy.

2012 Christmas is over. We are heading quickly toward 2013 – only days left.

With all that we know now – past and present… how will that affect our world view of the Future?

There is much to think about – now!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
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