So here we are, 20% into the 21st century. How will this era be remembered? The 1960s were called the Age of Aquarius and the Space Age. What will the 2020s be remembered as? The Age of Vision? Meh, probably not.
How about this: The Age of Confusion. And that’s not to be confused with the Age of Confucius. As a matter of fact, this is really not the Age of Confucius. He was a Chinese philosopher who believed in personal and governmental morality and things like kindness, sincerity and justice. That’s so 500 B.C.
He is even credited with cooking up a variation of the Golden Rule: Treat others the way you would want to be treated.
What was he thinking? That dude is obviously out to lunch. In the 21st century, there’s a whole new set of rules, and they aren’t golden.
For example, forget about morality, in personal life or politics. We elect people who are, well, what’s a polite way to put it? Let’s just say they are lost souls. Some of them wouldn’t know morality – or civility – if they tripped over it.
I listen to some of the chatter about personal behavior and politics and sometimes I want to throw up in my mouth. Ugh.
And I’m not picking sides here. Rich, poor, Republicans, Democrats, conservatives, liberals – many have lost their way.
Here’s the interesting thing about the Age of Confusion. Most of the “ladies” and “gentlemen” who would like our votes are no different from the scoundrels that have polluted the earth in times past. Yet, ultimately, someone stood up to them and rejected them and what they stood for. It might have taken a while, but ultimately they were voted off the island.
These days, however, they are revered, if not worshipped. Ugh.
And it’s not a religious thing. It’s a civilization thing. If we can’t behave in a way that is respectful towards one another regardless of religion, nationality, race, sexual orientation – you name it – then we need to learn.
I blame the antisocial media for much of the coarseness inflicted on our society. Seriously, the crap that Facebook, Twitter, Reddit and other platforms publish makes my stomach crawl. Much of it is factually incorrect, yet it’s not presented as opinion, it’s presented as fact. I’m all about the expression of opinions, but I’m against purposely saying things that are factually incorrect in an effort to incite people.
The other day our 15-year-old exchange student from Japan showed me a YouTube video that was making the rounds among his friends. It purported to show a teenage girl committing suicide by calmly walking up to train tracks and jumping in front of a speeding train.
What kind of sick puppy would publish such a thing?
It occurred to me that the video was probably fake. After all, that seems to describe much of the junk on antisocial media. That being the case, it was still stunningly insensitive.
I think all of this junk that is inflicted on us is a test. It is meant to confuse us, make us accept the unacceptable. We as individuals need to reject it and those who push it into our lives.
I told our exchange student to delete that video. I told him to understand that nothing is so valuable and beautiful as life and that anyone even pretending to take a life in a video like that is just trying to shock us. They must be rejected.
The Age of Confusion is upon us. We must reject all that it brings with it.
Carl Sampson is a freelance writer and editor. He lives in Stayton.
