Monday, April 29, 2013
"The past is a foreign country" - Sometimes
“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.”― L.P. Hartley, The Go-Between. ~~~~~ This quote has become iconic in the years since 1953, when Hartley wrote it in his novel. As I think about it today, 60 years later, I wonder to which part of life it most applies. POLITICS - we have have today the news that GOP New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has again said of Democrat President Barack Obama that he has "kept every promise he made" in helping New Jersey to recover from Superstorm Sandy. Christie said he disagrees with Obama 95% of the time but not on the recovery. This week New Jersey is to receive $1.8 billion in recovery aid. In the past, Christie would have taken the money and kept quiet about a President from the other party, but political favors are always the same : "You scratch my back; I'll scratch yours." FISCAL AFFAIRS - we learned today that under President Obama the US national debt has risen to an all-time high when measured as a percent of the income of the average family of four. It stands at $53,000 with the average per family income at $51,000. On the past, this would have been a catastrophic announcement, but today it goes by almost unnoticed. THE COLD WAR - we really don't have a Cold War today. It is very Hot although not at all conventional. US Intel...as we now call it instead of laying it all at the doorstep of the CIA, is hot on the trail of the Boston Marathon bombers' family and friends. We are informed every step of the way, although whether the public is getting any information about the reality of the situation could be questioned. This is more like the past, but with the twist that in the past we were told nothing and so knew nothing. Today, we are told "everything" and still probably know nothing. SPORTS - in a few simple sentences, NBA veteran Jason Collins put years of worry and silence behind him to become the first active player in any of the four major US professional sports leagues to come out as gay. Collins said, "I'm a 34-year-old NBA center. I'm black. And I'm gay." There is no question that in the past, this would have been handled differently. And not for the better. Being forced to lie about oneself - whether it's about one's money, family, friends or sexual preferences - only makes the person a likely target for blackmail, clinical depression or suicide. And that was often what happened in the past, especially in the past of the Cold War. And I doubt it has changed much. In this regard the past is the same country.
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CASEY POPS YOU ARE SPOT ON RIGHT. The great mjusic poet - Bob Dylan - in his one said ... "The Times They Are A Changing". Well they really aren't.
ReplyDeleteThe names are, the situations are, the social phobia's are, the level of "sect" involvement is, the number of participants in the social fringes are,etc...BUT IS THE MAIN STREAM ACCEPTANCE OF PAST TABOO'S REALLY CHANGED AT ALL - NO.
Our country is not really all that different today than 60 years ago. Wee social animals who like to be with our own kind. We don't like to forced into "diversity" groups that we have NO connection with. We like and agree with that which we like and agree with. We are products of our environment and up bringing.
If we enjoy someones company it's because we do ... NOT because it's vogue to or it's a LAW.
I see it everyday, people expressing concern and affection for people the have no feeling for at all except their right to existence, live their life as they see right, and prosper as much as they choose to - PERIOD.
If the past is a foreign country now it was back then also.
Great article Casey Pops
I'm not sure about this...
ReplyDeleteLately I feel like I'm living in a FOREIGN COUNTRY of the past here in the US. Loop side diversity in the work place, gang problem deep into the suburbs, neighbors that have zero use of English.
ReplyDeleteThe past was a foreign country one started by a band of brave souls that traveled to a land that was uncharted by explores in hopes of freedom and choice of religion. A foreign country ruled by laws, not divine inherited authority. A land where you took the ability that was God given and build something great and wonderful. something that hadn't been seen before on this planet... not even in the Greek City States.
The land was foreign and the settlers were foreign to the land and the severe heartaches that were ahead.
We need to lift that cause and determination up again and rally around the greatest country on God's green earth.
It is not the country that is foreign ... it is the complacency of the people.
Uncontrolled, irrational, directionless immigration is the evil that is destroying this nation.
Dylan in his own words wrote songs of life NOT POLITICS. The times need to be a changing back to our greatness and splendor.
"THE SHINNING CITY ON THE HILL" President Reagan knew what we were and what we could do. I am fearful that Obama knows exactly where he is leading us.
Doesn't it apply to all parts of life. life is not simply a fact of what makes up day, week, month, year, or lifetime. One is not judged by one thing in his/her entire existence - at least not by God were not.
ReplyDeleteThe past certainly was a foreign country. It was a place where people made personal decisions based on the rest of their life, where people had ethics, where people had lasting relationships, a place where there was a sense of stability ... that life was going to be tomorrow what it was today for the individual.
So is the present better than the past? have we improved on this foreign country called life. i think that may be the question ... not weather the past was "foreign" or not.
Given the better comforts of life that we have developed - today is better.
Given the ethical standards of today - we have or are sinking into a cesspool of contrite "ME'ism". Me want to do this or that so me will and the h _ _ _ with how it affects anyone else life.
We are disconnected from being part of the bigger picture. in fact for most the picture is only of them.
Give me that "foreign country": of years long ago.
If indeed the past is a foreign country it is only our own fault. We are the ones to blame for settling for less and less.
ReplyDeleteIn POLITICS we have elected officials that lack duty, honor, and ability. But substitute a sparkling smile, great photogenic appeal, tremendous speech writer and void of ability, honesty, dedication, and purpose other than self serving.
In FISCAL POLICY we have elected officials and advisers that have never been in the economic work place. Some may not even know where Wall Street is in NYC.
In FOREIGN AFFAIRS/COLD WAR we have diplomats that if they have a passport there are NO STAMPED pages in it. They are self acclaimed diplomats. While we put good diplomats on the front line and fail to protect them in deadly situations for fear of reprisal or bad press that may be disastrous in the next election. And our Intelligence agencies are being run by political hacks that have been rewarded for years of lack luster service of just sticking around.
SPORTS - my gosh. How many "heroes" that the youth use to have to look up to and want to emulate. Today the good guys are ridiculed and dismissed as quickly as possible. Sports today is nothing more than quality athletic people being allowed to be drastically overpaid for the worth to society and forgiven everything that rubs decent people the wrong way. How quickly we accept back into our living rooms the disgraced professional or sports commentator who's life style is an embarrassment to nearly all.
But I'm for one not sure it is all that different today vs some 60 years or so ago. It is just not hidden as well as it use to be.