Thursday, November 04, 2004

tall men and short character


I am lost for words.

I respond only to this, with this:

The Paradox of our Time
- Source unknown

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 neighbour.

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.

Yes, these are our times.


2 comments:

LMB said...

Leonie, firstly, if you wrote this, I am truly impressed at the sheer brilliance of it. At the same time, I am so sad because it's absolutely true. Across the ocean, the world, I hold your hand. As you hold the world's hand.

Goddess Leonie * GoddessGuidebook.com said...

lisa huney,

no, i didn't write it.. it's origin is unknown... it comes around as an email forward from time to time... i have loved it ever since i read it for the first time five years ago.

holding your hand right back.

love you,
leonie