The Paradox of our Age

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 but smaller families; more conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees but less sense; more knowledge but less judgement; 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, but pray too seldom

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom and lie too often.
We've learned 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; plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learn to rush, but not to wait; we have higher incomes, but lower morals;
More food but less appeasement; more acquaintances, but fewer friends;
More effort but less success. We build computers to more information,
to produce more copies than ever, but have less communication;
We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of fast food and slow digestion;
Tall men and short character;
Steep profits but shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
More leisure time and less fun; more kinds of fast food, but less nutrition .
These are the days of two incomes, but more divorce;
Of fancier houses, but broken homes.


Old Rafflesian Newsletter Aug 2000