It seems to me that the American way of life has become diluted. We've spread ourselves too thin.
Just a few decades ago, we had tight clusters of family, tight clusters of cities and towns, tight clusters of just about everything. Everything has changed. People are spread out too thinly. There seem to be very few clusters of anything that galvanize people in a positive way.
In the not-too-distant past we used to gather around the fireplace or the woodstove. People used to have places, events, and gatherings that caused us to cluster in social groups. When church day came, people couldn't wait to gather around and trade stories with all their fellow churchgoers--Relating all the news of the week and catching each other up. When the county fair came along that was really big because you might get a chance to see all the out-of-town cousins or friends that were just a little farther away. When it was dinnertime we all gathered around the table, talking about the day's events and sharing what was on our mind. When there was only radio and it became the source of news and entertainment, we gathered around that. When television became the driving force that fed us, we gathered around that.
A century or two ago, people were very aware and prideful in their family tree. Because people were living in smaller clusters almost everyone knew each other. If they didn't actually know each other, they knew OF each other. When a wedding happened it was big news for the whole community because it was another gathering and a combining of families. Now even marriage has become diluted. In many cases they don't even last a decade.
There used to be photo albums too. Back when photography was in its infancy cameras were a luxury item, and the pictures they took were complex to get developed. Having pictures taken was something that not everyone could justify or even afford, and that were taken were reserved for special occasions and events. The pictures that people had taken were lovingly mounted and preserved--usually in frames. When cameras became more mainstream and affordable to the masses, photo albums became popular. They were revered. The family photos were carefully placed into the albums, held onto the pages with stick-on corners. Each picture was captioned with the details of the picture written below it. Like everything else, photography has become diluted. We can take so many pictures with ease that we can't even keep track of them. Nobody ever writes down any of the details of the picture. A generation down the road nobody will remember who that person is in the picture, where it was taken, or even who took it.
It used to be that people traveled at a much slower pace. When two people passed each other on a road or trail they could greet each other and actually answer back. They might even stop to talk for a while. Now we are all locked into our tight little air-conditioned cocoons of metal and glass, speeding from point A to point B. Not only are we going too fast to interact, but we are actually afraid to. We don't want anything to do with anyone on a personal level--Especially if we don't know them. Our interaction with people has become diluted.
Our country was made up of one basic group of inhabitants when we "new owners" moved in and took over--The ones we now refer to as Native Americans. Unlike us, they had a culture--One rich with traditions, music, celebrations, and ceremonies. In one fell swoop the influx of people that fled so many other countries to seek refuge in this one and diluted it. The new inhabitants originally probably kept themselves together in groups, but as the country grew, people became more spread out. Little by little, cultural celebrations from people's countries or origin because less and less frequent. Now little seems to remain. We have become e a country with little or no particular culture worthy of celebration. We have become diluted.
A century ago we relied on local fruit and produce that was grown in our own fields or gardens. It was really our only source of those items, so to get ourselves through the year with our harvest we had to can them, freeze them, or some other method of preservation. Mason jars were something almost everyone was familiar with. Now fruits and vegetables come from everywhere in the world. There are no fruits or veggies than we can't get all year round. If there are such things as "seasons" they exist basically as part of the pricing structure, meaning if they're hard to get they'll cost you more. They may come from California, Chile, Ecuador--Who knows--But they're still available. We've gotten so used to it that we take it for granted. Again--Diluted.
Our government has gotten so big and spread out that it, too has become diluted. It seems that nobody knows who or what the other is doing within government because it has become so top-heavy. The U.S. has evolved into what could really only be described as "world police" over the years. Our military is in so many places at any given time that our own border security has become diluted. Spread WAY too thin.
We've already witnessed (and still are witnessing) the results of a home lending debacle finally came tumbling down like a house of cards a few years. It was a result of it diluting itself so much that it was basically worthless.
I compare our lifestyle now to that of a giant department store where nobody in one section knows where the other section is or even what it contains. Part of me wants the mom & pop store back.
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