As I sit down to write this, I’ve got two pies baking in the oven, my apron on and Frank Sinatra serenading me through a speaker. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, I am an old soul through and through. Did I see Tony Bennett live in concert two weeks ago? You bet. The 2000’s have been great, albeit 2017 and all that has happened over the past several months. However, this just is not the decade for me. I can’t help but think that I was born in wrong era; yes, I’m a 90’s baby, but there is something about the 1950’s that I just can’t seem to let go of.
First things first, there is no denying the fact that the music industry was thriving in the 1950’s. With artists like Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash. You get the picture.
Such artists produced music that you could actually dance to, not just jump around or sway back and forth to; and the lyrics were meaningful unlike some of the absolute trash that is played on the radio today. There was no such thing as auto tune or crazy electronic beats or dub-step, but rather an appreciation for actual instruments and un-altered vocals; to simply put it: talent.
Having just added another World War under it’s belt, the United States economy was anything but suffering, in fact it was booming like no other. Wages were high, unemployment was low, and the country’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) was growing before everyone’s eyes.
During this time, people had disposable income and could actually live off of minimum wage without being below the poverty line, something that is unheard of in 2017.
When it comes to communicating in 2017, things can get tricky. I find myself wondering “What does this emoji mean?” or “Did they put a period because they are angry?” etc… While technology makes communicating with another another instantaneous, it tends to leave a lot of room for questioning.
Navigating through texts, Instagram, and Snapchat’s can get tedious and tend to drag out what could have been very simple conversations. What happened to the days of calling someone up on the phone?
I feel like our generation has lost the ability to truly engage with one another, without staring into a screen or using our phones as a social crutch. I hate going out to dinner because nine out of ten times I’m either sitting at a table where at least half of the people are scrolling on their phone, or I see two people on a date, yet neither are actually talking to one another. What happened to the art of an old fashioned conversation? Don’t you want to know who people really are? How they really feel about certain things? Why don’t people take the time to greet you at your door, rather than send a “here” text?
Face to face interactions reveal authenticity and lead to more enriching conversations, rather than back and forth text messaging. I know, I sound like your grandma right now, but just trust me on this, ok?
I get it, I am stuck in the past. Do I show up to class in Wilson Hall 20 minutes early just to walk around and marvel at its elegance and rich history? I sure do. One of the things that makes Monmouth so special to me is that serves as a time capsule for years past and years to come. Our campus embodies the past, the present and most importantly, us, the future.
PHOTO TAKEN by Brett O’Grady
