Pages

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Those "Good Old Days..."

I was reading this post by D-Empress about how sweet and simple life used to be, and how absolutely undesirably horrible things are now, when I was overtaken by a burst of righteous indignation, and in what might have been blind rage and folly, I penned this reponse:

While I understand quite clearly the essence of your article, and am even wont to agree on some of the finer points, I have to admit a weariness of "older" generations lamenting the never-ending virtues of days gone by.

As a member of this present and apparently disadvantaged generation, I feel compelled to refute the notion that humanity's best days are far behind us, long gone and never to return. I always think it is grossly unfair to my generation for older persons to describe the period in which they lived as "the best" period of life, for them to look at us with something akin scorn and disdain, or treat us like poor things.

Our lives may not be remotely similar to theirs, but make no mistake about it, we do our best with the life/time we have... Do I sound a little precocious, bitter? Maybe, but I get so annoyed when I hear anybody talking about the good old days... as far as I am concerned, my best days are NOW. It is what I have, what I can use, and I intend to enjoy it (like they did theirs) to the fullest...

*Whistles!* Quite a rant, huh?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Girl, your pen/tongue cuts like a knife when you have a mind for it.. the pen is indeed mightier than the sword!

ruthibel said...

My auntie has been telling me (with increased frequency) that I am feisty little wasp... but I always just think I'm saying my piece/defending myself/expressing my view... plus, doesnt it just grate on your nerves to hear people constantly talking as if our generation has nothing to offer and are doomed to live out the "what's-left" portion of what "used-to-be" a good life? What the hell am I here for if the best part of life is already gone?

Morpheus Rablings said...

LOL
@ruthibelle
Enjoy and make the best of the life you have, with no regrets.
Then when you get older you will look back on it and refer to it as "your good ole days"
What comes around, goes around.
Walk Good

ruthibel said...

I'll take the compliment from that there response, Morpheus...

Regarding "what comes around goes around", I have this (unnerving) feeling you might be right... :D

Anonymous said...

i agree with this post 100%

Rashan Jamal said...

I laugh when people talk about the good old days. It's all relative. Some things are better, and some things are worse. I personally wouldn't want to live in the old days without the technology we have today. good post.

Annie Paul said...

listen Horace in the 5th century BC described someone as "given to ruing the way things were" when compared with when he had been a boy...i'll look up the exact quote and put it up tomorrow, it's in my office.

go deh Ruthie, you're absolutely right, when i hear one of my friends (increasingly frequently) bleating in the way you describe about how abysmal things are and what a golden time they grew up in and how standards are falling and no one has any 'taste' anymore i know i'm listening to someone who is prematurely and wilfully aging-- someone who either has no kids or doesn't respect the kids they have.

i don't think you'll do that when you grow older Ruthibelle don't worry about that at all--as you say you live, you learn, you grow--

ruthibel said...

Thanx Annie, I sincerely hope so cause I'd hate to be the one condemning the next generation.

And Rashan, I don't wanna live in any other time either. I'm a firm believer that if I was supposed to live in a past/future time, I woulda been born there!

ruthibel said...

And how could I forget... Jamaipanese finally dropped by... hullo and thanx for the post-olympics visit, lol

Anonymous said...

Funny I never thought about it like this before. I usually jump on the bandwagon and say the times are getting worse.

Food for thought. Hmm...