Re:Ask HN: Why Is Everything Declining?
by zug_zug on Saturday January 28, 2023 @11:51PM
(#34565057)
Love George Carlin, and love that quote.
- Taller buildings, shorter tempers: Yes, unclear (I think the average person today gets in fewer physical fights)
- Wider freeways, narrower viewpoints: Yes, unclear (I think in many ways we were even more narrow-minded 20 years ago. Do you remember the "Nuke Iraq" mentality?)
- We buy more but enjoy it less: Unclear, unclear
- we have bigger houses and smaller families: Yes, Yes
- more conveniences, yet less time: Yes, Unclear
gosh there's a lot of these.
I had always thought it was George Carlin, but maybe this was actually penned by a pastor in the 90s?
"The paradox of our time"
(first paragraph) " 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, yet less time; we have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgement; more experts, yet more problems; we have more gadgets but less satisfaction; more medicine, yet less wellness; we take more vitamins but see fewer results. We drink too much; smoke too much; spend too recklessly; laugh too little; drive too fast; get too angry quickly; stay up too late; get up too tired; read too seldom; watch TV too much and pray too seldom."
[1]: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-paradox-of-our-time/