The Paradox of our
Time - George Carlin 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 neighbor. 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; a time when
technology can bring this letter to you, and a time
when you can choose either to share this
insight, or to just hit delete.
George Carlin