Wednesday 2 April 2008

Yesterday, today, for ever...


As I've said before, I enjoy reading the blogs of police, paramedics and teachers, as many of these people are feeling the same sort of bewilderment I am (and no doubt you are too) about the ills of society.

Here, however, are some quotes from the days when blogs were presumably kept on paper or even parchment rather than in cyberspace:

"In every department of our nation, industry, commerce and agriculture, there is no hope."
Disraeli in 1852.

"The world is passing through troublesome times. The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they know everything, and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness to them. As for the girls, they are immodest and unwomanly in speech, behaviour and dress."
Peter the Monk in 1274.

"When I look at the younger generation, I despair of the future of civilisation." Aristotle, in the year 300BC.

A long time ago a very wise man, in his interesting wee book called Ecclesiastes (found in the Jewish and Christian Bibles) said this: "What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun."

I find that oddly comforting.

5 comments:

Doorman-Priest said...

Plus ca change. It is reassuring isn't it?

Roland said...

Good reminder.

AnneDroid said...

Yes d-p, and thanks roland.
Ax

Mr. Nighttime said...

You might find this quote from "Bringing Out The Dead," by former NYC paramedic Joe Connelly very interesting. (Being a former NYC paramedic myself, I certainly did...I still have not brought myself to read the book or see the movie though...too many things I would rather leave buried in that vault inside my brain.)

"I realized that my training was useful in less than ten percent of the calls, and saving lives was rarer than that. After a while, I grew to understand that my role was less about saving lives than about bearing witness. I was a grief mop. It was enough that I simply turned up."

AnneDroid said...

What an interesting quote, mr n. - a grief mop - amazing thought...