21st Century Living Is “Extreme”
American culture has always had its extreme fads, like flagpole-sitting or goldfish-eating; the pic here featuring “extreme tree trimming” from the 1880s is an example. That’s hilarious, IMO.
But these are curiosities. On a far broader scale, we’re starting to see the U.S. split into groups of polar opposites: a small number of winners, offset by a huge crowd of losers.
It’s not news that the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer. But the opening of that gaping chasm is only one example of what we see in virtually every dimension of life in today’s world, which could be called The Great Cultural Divide.
Almost everywhere you look, a few people are accomplishing amazing things, all the while a very large group is quietly going in precisely the opposite direction. Elite runners and cyclists are going faster–while a full one-third of Americans are now obese.
There is a marked increase in incredible acts of “extreme generosity” from the few (check this out!), counterbalanced by a sharp rise in xenophobia and racism among the many.
Competition for the good things on this planet is in itself extreme, and becoming more so every day. In 1973, my college of choice saw fit to make me a part of its freshman class, but the GPA and SAT scores I presented at the time would no more get me in there now than they would send me to the moon.
Here’s a video on paddle-less ping pong; ask yourself if such a thing could have existed even 10 years ago.
As previously reported, it’s very likely that climate change and other ecological catastrophes will soon make matters even more severe. Where the rich are unlikely to suffer much adverse effect from droughts, water shortages, wildfires, floods, hurricanes and land disappearing in the rising seas, the vast majority of the world’s population will be left fighting over a greatly diminished set of resources.
In short, look for extremes; they’re going to be everywhere.
Craig,
It’s a sad fact that upon reaching a certain age, the older generation begins to ruminate upon the ‘good old days’, while grumbling upon the decadence, depravity and doom lade prospects of the present and future.
This is usually followed by a dissertation on the folly and dissolution of modern youth.
Alas, it appears to be the fate of every generation to ruminate gloomily about the future, while prophesying future apocalyptic events.
The July 1859 issue of ‘Scientific American’, complained about a a wicked game that made both the mind and body weaker, Chess!
The article claimed the introduction of Chess was destroying American youth and society as the following excerpt evidences.
” A pernicious excitement to learn and play chess has spread all over the country, and numerous clubs for practicing this game have been formed in cities and villages…chess is a mere amusement of a very inferior character, which robs the mind of valuable time that might be devoted to nobler acquirements, while it affords no benefit whatever to the body. Chess has acquired a high reputation as being a means to discipline the mind, but persons engaged in sedentary occupations should never practice this cheerless game; they require out-door exercises–not this sort of mental gladiatorship “.
The famous 19th century author, Robert Louis Stevenson, wrote an essay complaining about umbrella’s;
“A mendacious umbrella is a sign of great moral degradation. Hypocrisy naturally shelters itself below a silk; while the fast youth goes to visit his religious friends armed with the decent and reputable gingham. May it not be said of the bearers of these inappropriate umbrellas that they go about the streets “with a lie in their right hand”? “.
Yesterday, I listened to an individual complaining about the “wealth divide”. Yet this individual lived in a nice house, had plenty to eat, (and drink) owned a modern automobile had all the amenities of modern suburban life.
What he resented was he wasn’t a billionaire. Billionaires are simply the product of a growth in population. Most modern wealthy individuals have gained wealth as the result of the spread of mass technology.
An actor was once confined to income from either a rich patron or the number of people willing to pay to attend a small theatre.
Today, thanks to modern technology the actor may reach an audience of billions and earn accordingly.
I have clients barely out of their teens who have earned vast fortunes, unimaginable wealth from the spread of new technology.
Most “wealth” is tied up in enterprises that provide employment and distribute wealth accordingly. “Scrooge McDucks with vast vaults full of gold and cash, are largely a fantasy!
Recently, I noticed the land tax for my Australian farming property had increased. This increase was the result of a local government reappraisal of the land value.
My property is only relatively small and modest, but the value for tax purposes would be the equivalent of the per capita income of 500 of my fellow citizens.
But that sort of calculation is pointless. Farming is a business and like every business fluctuates in profitability, especially in drought years. I can’t spend the capital value, but the responsibilities of ownership can be onerous. I have employees to pay, community duties, creditors and a moral duty to the livestock and land conservation.
I can make more income from Crypto-currency speculation than from all the capital investment in land, without any responsibility. As a banker and analyst I am aware the property is a very poor return on capital investment, but farmers are really sentimentalists, not all about business returns.
This is the modern era. The age of technology will produce even greater ‘wealth’. Like all wealth, this new wealth will be distributed downward.
Since all modern “wealth” is an illusion based on perception, complaining about greedy billionaires will not make anyone richer, but the imposition of socialist ideology will certainly make everyone poorer as Venezuela has discovered.
Likewise the answer to the planets ecological challenges lies not in social engineering or “banning” industry, but new technology and increased wealth creation.
Oh, and realizing the “good ol’ days” weren’t that great after all, it’s just we were younger !