The Paradox
of Our Time
by George Carlin (submitted by Dave
Singer)
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 it 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, but 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 too
quickly, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too seldom, 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 the new neighbor.
We've 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 split 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 have less communication.
These are the times of fast foods
and slow digestion; tall men, and short character; steep profits, and shallow
relationships.
These are the times of world peace,
but domestic warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but
less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes,
but more divorce; of fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips,
disposable diapers, throw-away 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 show window and nothing in the stockroom; a time when technology
can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to
share this insight, or to just hit delete.
free.