Paradox of Life

Years ago, a friend emailed this passage. I remember thinking how profound yet true the message was...

The paradox of our time ....
We have taller buildings but shorter tempers
Wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints
We spend more, but have less
We buy more, but enjoy less
We have bigger houses but more broken homes
We have more degrees but less sense
More knowledge, but less judgment
More experts, yet 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, stay up too late, get up too tired
Read too little, 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 a new neighbour.
We 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 conquered 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 we communicate less and less

These are the times of fast foods, and slow digestion
Big men and small character
Steep profits and shallow relationships
These are the days of two incomes but more divorce
Fancier houses, but broken homes
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers
Throwaway 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 showroom 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.

I thought that part about "We have bigger houses but more broken homes" is especially true. Divorce rate is up. And many of our kids are so caught up in their own world that they hardly spare a thought for the people around them. Indeed, there seems to be an erosion of social values. This is borne out by letters to the ST forum of youngsters refusing to give up seats to the elders in public transport.

"We've been all the way to the moon and back but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour". Does that sound familiar to you? Do you say "hi" or greet your neigbhours? The one who stays just next to your unit in your HDB flat? Do you know their name? I do, but it never goes further than that. And I suspect it's not just me. My neigbhours reciprocate when I say "hi". And then she stops making eye-contact. I'm sure you know how difficult to hold a conversation without eye contact. So you see, it's not just me.