Between the Katrina and September 11 anniversaries, a benchmark date was passed. I've not yet heard anyone comment upon it. But on the 1st of September, the decade of the "double-aughts" completed 2/3 of it's course. And anyone old enough to remember the transition from one decade into another, knows that with the passing of years, each decade forms it's own particular "personality" in retrospect.
And in my trip down memory lane, I noticed that the old axiom "the more things change, the more they stay the same", or as Pete Townshend put it "meet the new boss, same as the old boss", is peculiarly applicable. For whatever the changes in technology and society, "Moral Confusion" still reigns supreme. Especially in the land of dichotomy, the United States.
The 1950's
The "War" in Korea
Rock 'n' Roll
Sputnik
Polio
Television
The 1960's
The "War" in VietNam
Civil Rights Movement
Lung Cancer
"Protest" Music
Assassinations
Apollo
Colour Television
The 1970's
Watergate
The "War" between the Sexes
STD's
Corporate Music
More Assassination attempts
Soyuz ISS
Cable Television
The 1980's
The "War" on Drugs
Iran/Contra
AIDS
MTV
More Assassination attempts
'Star Wars' SDI
Satellite-24hour News Television
The 1990's
The Gulf "War"
Waco/OKC/WTC1
Monica/Perjury/Impeachment
Breast Cancer
Global Warming
More Assassinations
The Internet
And so far in this decade you have "Wars" on "Terror", Afghanistan, and Iraq, Terror attacks, more Constitutional crises, more 'Star Wars' (SDI & movies), more Shuttle explosions, bird-flu, one-party government, Viagra, blogs, cell phones and Ipods.
Yet the "Moral Confusion" of the past 50 years still remains.
How much power should the Government have? To what extent should the Military be a part of the economy and foreign policy? How to integrate Africans, Mexicans, Homosexuals, and Women into the ruling structure without losing cultural identities? How much "God" to incorporate into society? What limits should be placed on youthful, hormonal expression? What to do when a President lies? (from Gary Powers, the Gulf of Tonkin, Watergate, Iran/Contra, No New Taxes, Stained Blue Dresses to Ahmed Chalabi's integrity) What are the most powerful immediate and long-term threats to the status quo or even existence? And what to do about them?
So for the wistful and nostalgic, you are but lamenting the changing of the scenery and your own aging. For the foundation of all problems remains the same and will do so until an 'overarching power' changes it. That 'overarching power' could be a meteor, or the sun, mother nature in general, but it will most likely be mankind's own collective stupidity and greed. And if History is any guide, the change will take place slowly enough that few will notice it, until it is far too late to reverse.
And so with 1/3 of the "double-aughts" left to go, a decade so far identified with Lies, War, Death, and High Prices (in all their forms), you may look forward to another changing of the scenery in just a few more short years, but as the immortal Sonny Bono told us so many years ago, "the beat goes on and on and on...yeah, the beat goes on."
stephenhsmith
10sept2006
