I got an e-mail from a friend the other day. The subject was, “Wisdom for today”. The message was supposedly written by George Carlin, which I don’t believe. The reason I don’t is explained near the end of this post along with my reply to my friend.
THE MESSAGE:
A wonderful Message by George Carlin:
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, read 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.
NOTE: The message was followed here with the usual send this message to ten people you love or the world will end type crap, which is why I don’t believe George Carlin wrote it. To such a proposal, the true author of the above piece might have written, “We send our friends inspiring and uplifting e-mails then condemn them, demoralize them and make them feel guilty if they don’t forward it to ten friends.”
MY REPLY:
Dear XXXXX,
When I saw the subject line, I thought you were sending me the winning lotto numbers. All of those points are well made but in the rush-a-day world, we think too little about our "big picture" outlook on life changes. The boss still needs the project completed on time, the bills still need to be paid, the people we are thrown into this thing called life have their own competing ideas, interests and needs. So we remain focused on the here and now rather than how to make the next five years better.
That is why one of the favorite words used in describing ones life is the word "trapped". I really believe that you have to set your own conditions within the box that you have been placed. I read a book on POWs. Some would make their hell-hole living conditions personal in some respect. One guy would even greet the guards at the door, as he would guests visiting his home, and ask if they'd like to come in! Yea it's all a mind game. But like most things, life's 90% mental. Take care.
Doug
Please copy this post and e-mail it to ten friends or the world, as we know it, will end on 13 Jan, 2006, when Lex turns 50.
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