4.25.2008

Friday Five: Postmodern Edition

From Singing Owl:

Yesterday I had two separate conversations in which people were musing about how much change is occurring. The WW II generation, of which my mom is a part, went from horse and buggy to automobiles, saw the lessening, or even the end of many diseases, went from widespread use of kerosene lamps and outhouses (in the country, and most folks were rural)) to a totally electrified and plumbed society. The fastest means of communication was a telegraph. The second conversation--gulp--was about MY generation and how much change occurred in the last half of the 20th century. The person said his 13 year old had not seen a vinyl record album until a few days before, couldn't remember a time without cell phones, and on and on.As for the questions!

1. What modern convenience/invention could you absolutely, positively not livewithout?
This is pretty hard for me to answer. I think I'm pretty adaptable, I almost never watch TV, and I was a pretty late holdout on cell phones. Despite my blogging habit, I really would be OK without an awful lot of conveniences. I still write real letters, for crying out loud!

2. What modern convenience/invention do you wish had never seen the light of day?Why?
I'm not wild about cell phones, but like anything else, there are good things and bad things about them.

3. Do you own a music-playing device older than a CD player? More than one? Ifso, do you use it (them)?
Yep, there's a tape player in our car, and one in the house.

4. Do you find the rapid change in our world exciting, scary, a mix...or somethingelse?
Neither, really. People are people, that doesn't change all that much. This Friday Five reminds me a lot of Ecclesiastes: there's nothing new under the sun. Love and greed and fear and grace all remain the same, they just acquire different settings.

5. What did our forebears have that we have lost and you'd like to regain?
I don't know: I worry that we romanticize the past a bit. If I had to pick something, I'd like to see more people reading.
Bonuspoints if you have a suggestion of how to begin that process.
I'll read to our (non-existant now) kidlets, and I'll keep reading, and I'll keep sharing the beauty I find in those books.

11 comments:

  1. I've read two FFs so far, and both of you say "neither" to #4. That surprised me. And READING...oh yeah. I'm with you on that one. I am determined to read to granddaughter Trinity (when she is around) till my eyes cross, if she will let me.

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  2. I like your answer to 4: there is nothing new under the sun. So true...

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  3. I'm always amazed by those studies about how few people read, since just about everyone I know does. But I would definitely agree on the reading.

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  4. Yes to your thoughts about reclaiming reading!

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  5. excellent post, I like your answer to #4.

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  6. Reading. Another thing I take for granted.

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  7. Yep, the more things change.....so right! And reading, yeah, forgot to say that. With you on the TV, all the way.

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  8. I absolutely agree with reading too. I think modeling reading is the best way to pass it on. My sister and I read because Mom read to us, and my niece is a big reader because Mom, my sister, and I read to her.

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  9. "Love and greed and fear and grace all remain the same, they just acquire different settings."

    Thank you for this!

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  10. Reading. Me too. I read somewhere that more people say they are writers than readers. hmmmm. And if you write letters, I WANT TO MEET YOU! You're my hero.

    I have fond memories of summer breaks from college. I would write back and forth to all my college friends. (sigh.)

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  11. You are very realistic. That's good to read.

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"So keep fightin' for freedom and justice, beloveds, but don't you forget to have fun doin' it. Lord, let your laughter ring forth. Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. And when you get through kickin' ass and celebratin' the sheer joy of a good fight, be sure to tell those who come after how much fun it was."
-Saint Molly Ivins