A World of Wimps

Where have we come from and where are we going... as a country and a world? When I was a kid in elementary school there was a book in the school library about what things would be like in the future. Granted this was in the late 60's or early 70's but I chuckle every time I think about it. It told about microwave ovens that cooked whole meals in mere minutes. There would be cars that looked like bubbles and they would drive themselves and would be extremely fast and very safe.

The book was full of very positive things that made the reader want to live in the future. In the 45 years or so since then that I have first hand experience in, ( I guess I was around 8 years old then) many of those things have happened and many of those products were developed in one form or another. In many ways they have made our life easier.

The problem with all of the "future forecasting" is that they never looked at the down side. Our recent generations have become techno-dependent wimps. This is a vague generalization I know. What used to be a pick up game of kickball or softball in the neighborhood that gave us exercise  has turned into video games where kids sit on their ever widening gluteus maximus. Most of today's teens and 20 somethings would have a melt down if they had to dump the technology for a month. How many of them would even know how to dig a ditch properly? (yes, there are proper ways to dig a ditch)

Don't get me wrong, there is nothing at all wrong with trying to make a job or life easier. The problem comes when we have no concept of how that technology works or how to trouble shoot it when it breaks. The real problem goes much deeper though.

Our cultural paradigm has become one of selfishness and laziness. This is displayed in several forms. Selfishness in the form of employers that work employees long hours instead of hiring more employees. (I am in no way referring to my employer, Thinking more of someone I know in a certain industry.) Laziness in the form of employees who skate out of work several times per shift to "smoke". In fairness I have run into a few people who were hard workers and were conscientious about the job they did.

Look at this from the political side. There is an ever increasing number of people who want "government" (whatever that means) to GIVE them the comforts of life. We DESERVE health care. We DESERVE a free cell phone. The list goes on. The more the government gives you the more they have to take away from someone.

Ah well. The problem could easily be solved. The subject for another day.