The times we live in.

[Hermes]

Paul Burkett observed in 'Hell to get old' this:

 

"Bud, too bad that this has to be done, but just think about the good old days, you know, when none of this was possible. These are marvelous times we are passing through."

 

I couldn't agree more with his sentiments. This subject comes up from time to time with friends of mine and I always maintain that, if I would have had a choice, I would have chosen exactly the period and Geography I am living in (1942....., Germany and Canada).

 

Maybe that's normal and maybe people a thousand years ago would have said that too. My generation (and I am referring to the New World here) avoided the terror of WW2, grew up in peace and enjoyed a terrific lifestyle. We had enough to eat (most of the time), we had motorcycles and cars as teenagers, we saw the development of commercial flights, we witnessed the elimination of many diseases, we had good education, we had entertainment in television, cinemas etc, we witnessed spaceflight and Men on the Moon. We learned so much about our planet, our Solar System our Galaxy and Universe. Thousands of years of prior education could not touch what now a reasonably educated person knows.

 

But there are dark clouds on the horizon, Global Warming, the return of some diseases, Water shortages even in the modern World, Air pollution, Water pollution, potential Oil and Energy shortages, Overpopulation, to name but a few.

 

My generation picked a timeslot to see what is possible, to experience a full life and also a timeslot in which towards it's end, we may foresee less desirable living conditions.

 

What do you think, would you have picked this timeframe to live in, would you have preferred to live in the Roman Empires period, The Greek, the Egyption, or, would you rather you would have been born in a world a hundred or thousand years hence?

[Dave McReynolds]

Yea, I think it's great to have grown up in modern times.... Maybe those who were blown up in wars, or starved in Africa, or died of AIDS, or wasted their lives on drugs, or who crashed on our highways, or who were born with twisted bodies from mercury poisoning, or who had early heart attacks from stress, or cancer from various environmental causes or smoking, or rotted their brains and livers from drinking, or who died struggling in hopeless causes, might disagree, but for me, it was great.

 

Personally, though, I see myself more as a 19th century kind of guy. Not one of those 19th century kind of guys who died en-masse in any of the civil war battles, or who died in childbirth, or by any number of infectious diseases, or a slave type of guy, or an oppressed woman, or one of those starving Irish 19th century guys. Nope, I see myself more as one of those remitance man 19th century type of guys who roved around out west doing pretty much as they pleased, one of those James Garner Maverick type of guys.

[Bullett]

Well, speaking as a female, I would have to say that I am pretty happy to have lived from 1958 to present.

 

My Dad was "modern" enough to encourage my "non-girl" behavior, and teach me to ride motorcycles, and tell me I could be anything I wanted to be when I grew up. (But he really gave Twisties a hard time when I brought him over ...)

 

My Mom was traditional enough to serve milk and cookies when my brother and I came home from school, and was always there for us.

 

We could still play outside without our parents freaking out that we had been kidnapped.

 

I was lucky, my life has been safe yet unlimited. The American Dream, as they say.

[Francois_Dumas]

 

My generation (and I am referring to the New World here) avoided the terror of WW2, grew up in peace and enjoyed a terrific lifestyle. We had enough to eat (most of the time), we had motorcycles and cars as teenagers,.....

 

Not true for everybody unfortunately....... for many the 'place' was 'wrong'.... 'New World indeed. They did not get to enjoy all those benefits, but ARE now facing the same somber prospects after having lived through some bad times in the beginning. Life ain't fair most of the time

[Joel]

I like where I am right now. The realm of what is possible expands every day. Others may see doom and gloom in the challenges that lie ahead of us -- overcoming energy dependence, environmental/climate changes, the rise of China and India as economic powers while the former superpowers adjust to new industrial and economic realities. I see opportunities for mankind's relentless adaptation and pursuit of innovation to discover solutions on an even grander scale than the limitations we've already overcome.

[Ken H.]

I think it's been a great time to grow up in, I'm not so sure it's going to be a great time to grow old in however.

[Hermes]

Joel,

I like your optimism and your confidence, and you are most likely right.

 

To overcome some of the not so distant global challenges though, we need to move expediently and we need to cast our votes with those politicians (worldwide) enlightened enough to provide leadership and incentives in that direction.

[Urban Surfer]

I was born some 300 years too late.

The best profession at the time was being a pirate, looting and plundering when the pay was all you could carry