You are NOT Living in the Worst Times

Every day on this board I see people posting on subjects which make it seem like the world is coming to an end. Although it might seem like we're living in terrible and frightening times, in fact these may be the best times human history has had to offer. I think we forget that the generations who lived before us have had to face many challenges, some being far greater than anything we've had to deal with in the last 20 years. It all depends on our country of origin, of course. Allow me to list some of the events which happened just within the last 90 years or so.

Where should I start? I won't go further back than the early 20th Century (mostly from the U.S.A. perspective), because listing all the events prior to it is just too exhausting. Imagine yourself living during the events below. I can almost guarantee that you'll start appreciating the 21st century a little more. That's not to say that the events happening in our world today aren't as important or as severe (to some degree), but I tell ya, I'm glad I wasn't born in a time when I would have had to work in a factory at the age of 9, or that I didn't have to be drafted into Vietnam. I'm sure there are African Americans who are glad they weren't born when the KKK had full reign of the South. Well, you get the picture.

The 20th century

- Industrial Revolution = heavy pollution.
- San Francisco Earthquake
- World War I.
- Spanish Flu kills millions around the world
- Child labor is normal
- Women are not allowed to vote until 1920
- Beginning of the Prohibition
- Russian Revolution
- Chinese Revolution
- Armenian Genocide
- Creation of Concentration Camps in Germany
- Spanish Civil War
- Japan invades China
- The Night of Broken Glass
- World War II.
- Holocaust
- The Great Smog of 1952
- Attack on Pearl Harbor by Japanese
- Japanese-Americans held in camps for years, their property confiscated.
- Siege of Leningrad
- Battle of Stalingrad
- U.S. drops atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- Korean War
- McCarthy Communist witch hunt era
- South Africans Forced to Carry ID Cards Identifying Race
- Hungarian Revolution
- Suez Crisis
- Castro takes over Cuba
- Bay of Pigs Invasion
- Cuban Missile Crisis
- JFK assassination
- L.A. Riots
- Malcolm X assassinated
- Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated
- Vietnam War
- Draft Protests
- Palestinian Group Hijacks Five Planes
- Watergate Scandal
- Terrorist Attack at the Munich Olympic Games
- Ebola Virus Outbreaks in Sudan and Zaire
- New Plague Identified as AIDS
- Falkland Islands Invaded by Argentina
- U.S. Embassy in Beirut Bombed
- Famine in Ethiopia
- Challenger Space Shuttle Explodes
- Chernobyl Nuclear Accident
- New York Stock Exchange Suffers Huge Drop on "Black Monday"
- Pan Am Flight 103 Is Bombed Over Lockerbie
- U.S. Shoots Down Iranian Airliner
- Students Massacred in China's Tiananmen Square
- Operation Desert Storm
- Riots in Los Angeles After the Rodney King Verdict
- World Trade Center Bombed in 1993
- Rwanda Genocide
- Sarin Gas Attack in Tokyo Subway
- Oklahoma City Bombing
- Mad Cow Disease Hits Britain


I'm sure I've left out many things from this list, but I hope I've made my point clear. When you think of the events happening to us today, before you start panicking about the world coming to an end, put it into perspective by reminding yourself of the list above. Human history is riddled with wars, oppression, inequality and turmoil. I for one am feeling pretty fortunate when I think about the things my grandmothers and grandfathers had to endure in their time. Just a thought.

Thank you for your post! I've been trying to argue with Doom and Gloomers for years regarding this topic. Everyone is myopic in the perspective of what his happening NOW in their lives. All of human history has been frought with challenges. I certainly am glad I wasn't born during the Dark Ages!

Star and Flag for bringing some reason to this crazy place!

reply to post by 2manyquestions


Born in '66... lived through quite a lot on that list... but THIS is the first time, EVER that I have been unable to find work. And I mean ANY work at ANY wage.

In the big picture, sure, this is not the darkest point in human history. But it is the most difficult stretch of my 44 years.

~Heff

Poor Heff.. youre old like me.

Yes OP!!! Definitely. I feel fortunate for being born not only with all of the advantages we have now, but the possibilities that are open to us. WIth all of the doom and gloom I believe there is a chance for a positive change. Even if its hard at first. Ive lived through a lot and been many places.. lived many places outside of the US.. and there is NO place like the US to me. I feel fortunate to have been born here.

When I get down or the hubby gets down we always look at the good things. We have SO many good things in our lives and our future.. it truly outweighs the bad that may come. I can say I have lived a good life so far.. mainly due to the coincidence of being born where I was! Our middle daughter was born with liver disease.. she wasnt supposed to live. At 8 she got a liver transplant. Today she is alive. If she was born elsewhere she would possibly never have made it this far. I could go on and on with our personal blessings.. just for being in this country and having the opportunities open to us that we do.

We are truly fortunate.

Originally posted by Hefficide
reply to post by 2manyquestions

 

Born in '66... lived through quite a lot on that list... but THIS is the first time, EVER that I have been unable to find work. And I mean ANY work at ANY wage.

In the big picture, sure, this is not the darkest point in human history. But it is the most difficult stretch of my 44 years.

~Heff

I hope you'll be able to find something soon. It's not easy out there for a lot of people these days, but it too will pass. I've got a few friends who are out of work and they also have a lot of trouble finding a job that will pay the bills. Hang in there. Human beings can be ingenious when pressure is applied. They usually find a way to survive even the worst of times.

Originally posted by Advantage
Poor Heff.. youre old like me.

Yes OP!!! Definitely. I feel fortunate for being born not only with all of the advantages we have now, but the possibilities that are open to us. WIth all of the doom and gloom I believe there is a chance for a positive change. Even if its hard at first.

Ive lived through a lot and been many places.. lived many places outside of the US.. and there is NO place like the US to me. I feel fortunate to have been born here.

When I get down or the hubby gets down we always look at the good things. We have SO many good things in our lives and our future.. it truly outweighs the bad that may come. I can say I have lived a good life so far.. mainly due to the coincidence of being born where I was! Our middle daughter was born with liver disease.. she wasnt supposed to live. At 8 she got a liver transplant. Today she is alive. If she was born elsewhere she would possibly never have made it this far. I could go on and on with our personal blessings.. just for being in this country and having the opportunities open to us that we do.

We are truly fortunate.

You know, I feel the same. I've been through so much at times (I've lived in different countries as well) that even when things get bad, I look back on the hard times and I realize it could be a lot worse. I start appreciating my situation, especially when I think of the people who have it a lot worse than I do. I'm happy to hear about your daughter having survived. I'm sure it must have been absolutely heartbreaking when you found out,... but what a relief to have her survive!

Originally posted by Lolliek
Thank you for your post! I've been trying to argue with Doom and Gloomers for years regarding this topic. Everyone is myopic in the perspective of what his happening NOW in their lives. All of human history has been frought with challenges. I certainly am glad I wasn't born during the Dark Ages!

Star and Flag for bringing some reason to this crazy place!

Thanks! Not that I'm old, but the younger crowd may not realize what they've missed by being born in the last 20 years. Although the issues of today are very important and shouldn't be ignored, sometimes I feel like people freak out over lesser things. What they perceive to be a crisis or end-of-the-world scenario, isn't really when looking at it from a historic perspective. My God, I can't imagine what people must have felt when they first realized they were in the middle of a World War, and then a decade or two later in the middle of a second World War. How terrible it must have been to hear the sirens warning of bombings, and having entire neighborhoods leveled overnight. Those are real problems! I'm sure people back then felt like their world really was coming to an end, literally falling apart around them. It's a reality that's still happening in some parts of our world today, but certainly not on the scale that it was back then, when the entire planet seemed crazy.

My parents lived through World War 2, Depression and rationing. Try talking to someone in their 80s and you will see how many had to live. Nor was there the extent of government assistance there is today. We have also been on the brink of nuclear armageddon more than once. Kids starting off in life don't fully appreciate this.
The big difference today is of course the internet. It spreads everything, good and bad. Fear, truth, paranoia....
What really bugs me is how people like to talk about how they are 'slaves'. Really? They don't know the meaning of the word. In the news this week was the story of a bunch of people in China with learning difficulties who were sold into labour and treated worse than dogs. There are plenty other modern day stories - of people who would change places with most of us in a heartbeat.

Originally posted by starchild10
My parents lived through World War 2, Depression and rationing. Try talking to someone in their 80s and you will see how many had to live. Nor was there the extent of government assistance there is today. We have also been on the brink of nuclear armageddon more than once. Kids starting off in life don't fully appreciate this.
The big difference today is of course the internet. It spreads everything, good and bad. Fear, truth, paranoia....
What really bugs me is how people like to talk about how they are 'slaves'. Really? They don't know the meaning of the word. In the news this week was the story of a bunch of people in China with learning difficulties who were sold into labour and treated worse than dogs. There are plenty other modern day stories - of people who would change places with most of us in a heartbeat.

You're right about the internet. News spreads like wildfire as opposed to a few decades ago when nobody had a clue as to what was going on in the rest of the world, unless their country was directly connected to the event. Those of us who get to live to be 80 will see the world change from good to bad, to good again many times over. Who knows what our future holds. If history repeats itself, we can be sure we'll see true turmoil at least once in our lives. Maybe we're the generation that will have to survive World War III. or maybe an asteroid impact, who knows! Or maybe we'll be the generation that won't see any of it. As humans all we need to know is that despite how bad it looks, this world and humankind can withstand many tragedies, and we tend to prevail. As bad as it seems, it can be and has been a lot worse.

Originally posted by 2manyquestions

Originally posted by Advantage
Poor Heff.. youre old like me.

Yes OP!!! Definitely. I feel fortunate for being born not only with all of the advantages we have now, but the possibilities that are open to us. WIth all of the doom and gloom I believe there is a chance for a positive change. Even if its hard at first.

Ive lived through a lot and been many places.. lived many places outside of the US.. and there is NO place like the US to me. I feel fortunate to have been born here.

When I get down or the hubby gets down we always look at the good things. We have SO many good things in our lives and our future.. it truly outweighs the bad that may come. I can say I have lived a good life so far.. mainly due to the coincidence of being born where I was! Our middle daughter was born with liver disease.. she wasnt supposed to live. At 8 she got a liver transplant. Today she is alive. If she was born elsewhere she would possibly never have made it this far. I could go on and on with our personal blessings.. just for being in this country and having the opportunities open to us that we do.

We are truly fortunate.

You know, I feel the same. I've been through so much at times (I've lived in different countries as well) that even when things get bad, I look back on the hard times and I realize it could be a lot worse. I start appreciating my situation, especially when I think of the people who have it a lot worse than I do. I'm happy to hear about your daughter having survived. I'm sure it must have been absolutely heartbreaking when you found out,... but what a relief to have her survive!

You know, technology is a blessing ( and a curse) too! WHen I was pregnant with her the mass was seen on the ultrasound. They gave me the option of abortion. I didnt.. they assured me that there were procedures and etc.. that she could have a normal life. Then when she was born they said whoops.. err.. WTF is this. They called a guy in Japan and he talked her surgeon through a procedure that prolonged her life with excellent quality until she got the transplant.
Seriously, in what countries would this be possible?? Few. Especially in ones with socialized healthcare.

For me personally.. Im indigenous. Im blackfeet.. and though some seem to love the rez life and being a federal slave.. we HAVE the opportunity to attain the American dream just as the Anglos and everyone else. How few countries this is possible?! We went from being forced to live in ways we didnt want to being equal in no time with the same opportunities. I can marry who I want and as a woman I can attain an education and do what I want with it. People say that the American dream is dead. I beg to differ.. its still there.. and needs some tweaking is all.

For as bad as we conspiracy tin hat nutters gripe.. each of us know we are blessed and I think we are so enthusiastic about our views because we dont want to lose this country of great opportunity to threats domestic or foreign. Some, like me, want to not only regain what we have lost but make it better. WHen we make ourselves better I hope that we will once again be the place that people worldwide want to become a part of and contribute to.. make it their home.. and not something to use.

reply to post by Advantage


I like your style. That's the way to go through life! I agree with you. I think that's why we discuss the issues we do, because we want to maintain the freedoms we've been enjoying. Any attack on them is immediately noted. Maybe that is why some overreact when they arise. I'm sure deep down people appreciate being born in these times. I know I do.

Pretty much everything you listed happened in the last 100 years. That would tell me,we are living in the worst times. But you are right,terrible things suppossedly happened (no solid evidence thats impossible) Infact the only event I have ever seen solid evidence on,is hitlers persecution of the jews. But yea,worse stuff suppossedly happened,like the mass crucifiction of thousands of people. Vlad the impalers rieghn of terror,black plague. The list goes on.

I guess it just depends where on the world you live,and what time you live.

And to add to what i said,someone out their right now is going through the worst part of history,it happens all the time. Yea,things might be "ok" in your nieghborhood but travel through a notorious gang neighbor hood at night.In some parts they are still eating people. Would you not consider bieng eaten,one of the worst parts of history, if it happened to you?

Originally posted by whipsandchainsamerica
And to add to what i said,someone out their right now is going through the worst part of history,it happens all the time. Yea,things might be "ok" in your nieghborhood but travel through a notorious gang neighbor hood at night.In some parts they are still eating people. Would you not consider bieng eaten,one of the worst parts of history, if it happened to you?

The reason I listed some of the events I did (and left out others) is because the ones on the list affected a large part of the world. Of course there will always be poverty, and we will always have murders and injustice happening in many neighborhoods around the world (even in the "best" of times), but those are not really subjects we discuss on ATS. Most subjects involve Government actions, laws, potential wars, and conflicts between nations. We are paranoid and fearful of our governments, and discuss possible conspiracy theories. I'm sure that when WW I. and II., the Cold War, and Vietnam war were brewing, those people had very serious conspiracies and fears to discuss. I didn't go back further than 100 years, because prior to the 20th century things were even worse for human kind. Prejudice, racism, sexism, religious persecution and genocide were on the daily menu in mass scale. Do we still have some of those things happening in the 21st century? Yes, in some parts of the world we still have these things happening, but nowhere near what it used to be.