Peculiarities of a Modern World

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The photograph is of my Grandmother when she was a child and her brothers and parents – my Great Grandparents.

My Grandmother died when I was in my late 20’s so I knew her well. My Great Grandmother lived into her 90’s so I was very fortunate to also know her.

My mother tells me stories of how my Great Grandfather (George) loved green tree frogs and to garden.

I wonder what simple living knowledge they had, that I don’t know.

I wonder what they would think of the world today?

A world where:

*  People drive to the gym only to get on a treadmill.

* People work long hours for years to progress their career, sacrificing their health only to spend a fortune in later years trying to regain their health.

* People in the West throw out 30 to 50% of the food purchased, when millions of people go hungry every day.

* People can be fearful of saying hello to a stranger in the street but will converse happily online with others they don’t know.

* People can pay more per litre for water than petrol.

* People not only expect appliances to have a short life but prefer buying new to replace them rather than fixing.

* People have become wealthier but not happier.

I bet you can think of other unsustainable peculiarities of modern living.

13 thoughts on “Peculiarities of a Modern World”

  1. Hey Sarhn, great food for thought. Here’s more along a similar vein from one of my blog posts;

    Paradox of Our Age

    We have bigger houses but 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 medicines, but less healthiness;
    We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbour.
    We build more computers to hold more information to produce more copies than ever but have less communication.
    We have become long on quantity, but short on quality.
    These are times of fast foods but slow digestion;
    Tall men but short character;
    Steep profits but shallow relationships.
    It’s a time when there is much in the window, but nothing in the room.

    Gav x

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  2. What a great photo of a cute family! Although, I’d bet your great grandfather had similar thoughts about what his great grandfather would make of that life. Especially at the turn of the century with the industrial revolution. Machines taking the jobs of man. Evil and mysterious electricity. Children laboring away at 16 hour shifts at unsafe factories. It’s all about perspective.

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    • Absolutely James. I am not one to believe that the ‘old days’ was utopia. Such wonderful medical advances for one, has made a positive difference for millions.

      However on the other end of the pendulum swing, I don’t believe the modern world has improved with all our advances and changes.

      I think the current growing trend to ‘get back to basics’ is driven by the collective subconscious realisation that we have lost our ‘soul’.

      Gardening is a big part of it James (I know how you love gardening). To regain knowledge of growing our own food and to be again connected to the seasons & nature.

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts. 🙂

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      • Agreed. I’ve had a running theory since I was a lad that ever since the industrial revolution, technology has advanced at a pace that nowhere near matches our own evolution as a species. Our ability to adapt has been pushed to limits beyond what homosapian is wired to do. The result? Collective madness. I think that’s why we feel refreshed after going camping or hiking in the woods. It’s a way to disembark from a train that’s moving to fast. I’m no luddite by any means, I do love my technology and pharmaceuticals, but I believe there is a price we pay. Have you ever read the book Ishmael? It touches on this madness in great detail. And it has a talking gorilla! Phenomenal book, highly recommended.

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      • That book sounds brilliant – just what I would be keen to read. Before our Little One came along I was an avid book reader – let’s just say I dream about getting back to those days. Now I read a page of my gardening magazines and I am out cold. I shall add this book to my list of must read titles. These days are long but years short.

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  4. Hey Miss … yes what a great perspective and so very very true. Scary when you sit back and analyse where we are at. Our disposal lifestyles bother me immensely. I’m for saying gidday to someone in the street, recycling as much as possible, not wasting any food (I don’t LOL) and shutting the office door while I go play in the garden … 😀

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    • It bothers me too Julie. I believe the answer lies in inspiration rather than fear and anger (even I turn off from ‘the sky is falling’ story).

      Garden time for all office workers – now that is a brilliant idea Julie!

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  5. Here comes a conversation from half way around the world from someone who doesn’t say hello to strangers in the street. You have a great perspective. Your blog shows that you care about the world and your daughter. Who wouldn’t feel safe talking to you? But would your neighbors rely on you like your grandmother’s neighbors relied on each other?

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    • Thankyou what a lovely thing to say – I do care. In regards to your question about my neighbours feeling that they could rely on me. I would like to think the answer is yes but in truth I can not speak for them.

      Hence I have just posted this comment on my personal Facebook account and tag my old inner City neighbours whom we lived with for 8 years. Maybe they might visit my blog to answer your question.

      Thankyou for starting a very interesting conversation. 🙂

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