How Times Change by Ardon Schambers - visit website
The Year End
Not unlike many year-end radio and TV programs who try to consolidate the events of the past year, who died and what scandals occurred etc., I’ve begun to keep an annual list of changes that I have observed which covers:
1. Anxiety
This perception I believe is due in part because every time we break away from some accepted norm or standard, it causes us discomfort. We are cast apart a little bit from what we know or at least what we think we know and we need to get connected to the new rules and surroundings. If it is one or two minor changes, it’s not too bad, but when the changes are many or we experience a couple of major points of instability, we get pretty anxious.
2. Historical
However, if we stand back and look at how things have progressed over the long haul, we might find we’ve actually made some good progress. The excesses seem to get reined back in, cooler heads prevail and society bumps into the next cycle of evolution. I recently saw a collection of old ads for various products and services. Certain segments of our population would be appalled by those types of promotion today. A new book and a TV show about how and why railroads came into being in this country with the high negative costs to society, make you wonder if those behaviors could happen again today. Some have noted the similarities to some dot.com organizations, but at least peoples’ lives are not being trampled.
3. Short Term
Then there are the social issues of detention camps for the Japanese and many of the aspects of discrimination against non-whites. Yes, we have the issues of Guantanamo and the immigration matters to be resolved, but I believe that such extreme circumstances as we have had in the past are not likely to come about again. So, I do believe that society is getting better. It’s just harder to see in the short term when we have to look through the wreckage of a difficult economic period and fighting new kinds of wars.
4. Optimism
Maybe the old saying is true, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”. You just have to find a way to survive. Start with a positive attitude and outlook. People find what they expect to find. What better way to start a new year.
Tell us one positive change you will make....
Not unlike many year-end radio and TV programs who try to consolidate the events of the past year, who died and what scandals occurred etc., I’ve begun to keep an annual list of changes that I have observed which covers:
- Inventions
- The political landscape
- How we eat, or dress
- Plus a variety of other things that seem to stand out
1. Anxiety
This perception I believe is due in part because every time we break away from some accepted norm or standard, it causes us discomfort. We are cast apart a little bit from what we know or at least what we think we know and we need to get connected to the new rules and surroundings. If it is one or two minor changes, it’s not too bad, but when the changes are many or we experience a couple of major points of instability, we get pretty anxious.
2. Historical
However, if we stand back and look at how things have progressed over the long haul, we might find we’ve actually made some good progress. The excesses seem to get reined back in, cooler heads prevail and society bumps into the next cycle of evolution. I recently saw a collection of old ads for various products and services. Certain segments of our population would be appalled by those types of promotion today. A new book and a TV show about how and why railroads came into being in this country with the high negative costs to society, make you wonder if those behaviors could happen again today. Some have noted the similarities to some dot.com organizations, but at least peoples’ lives are not being trampled.
3. Short Term
Then there are the social issues of detention camps for the Japanese and many of the aspects of discrimination against non-whites. Yes, we have the issues of Guantanamo and the immigration matters to be resolved, but I believe that such extreme circumstances as we have had in the past are not likely to come about again. So, I do believe that society is getting better. It’s just harder to see in the short term when we have to look through the wreckage of a difficult economic period and fighting new kinds of wars.
4. Optimism
Maybe the old saying is true, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger”. You just have to find a way to survive. Start with a positive attitude and outlook. People find what they expect to find. What better way to start a new year.
Tell us one positive change you will make....
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