Change: Illusive or Real?

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but
shorter tempers
; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; we spend more,
but have less; we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less
time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less
judgment; more experts, but less solutions; more medicine, but less wellness.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too
much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life; we’ve added years to life, not life to years.

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing
the street to meet the new neighbor. We’ve conquered outer space, but not
inner space; we’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we’ve split the
atom, but not our prejudice.

We have higher incomes, but lower morals; we’ve become long on quantity,
but short on quality.

These are the times of tall men and short character, steep profits and
shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic
warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but
broken homes. It is a time when there is much in the show window and
nothing in the stockroom –  a time when technology can bring this letter to you and a time when you can choose either to forward this message and make a
difference…or just hit delete. 

The above was written by Allan N. Levine on October 11, 2000 and sent out to various people via e mail. Someone forwarded it to me. I googled Mr. Levine (No relation to me even though my maiden name is Levine.)

All I could find was the following of Allan N. Levine’s life captured by the 1940 U.S. Census:
Allan N. Levine was born about 1932, the son of Sally and Joe. In 1940, he was 8 years old and lived in Portland, Maine, with his father, mother, brother, and 3 sisters. I’m not even sure if he is the same person who sent this e mail.

To put the above in further context here are some headlines from Wednesday, October 11, 2000:
Supreme Court: Justices to Hear Cases of Deportable Inmates With Nowhere To Be Deported To

In the Mideast: Time for a Recess; Palestinian Rights
Gay Marriage and the Campaign

US Warning China on Trade Pledges

Steroid Suspicions Abound in Major League Dugouts

Here are some events that actually occurred on October 11, 2000:

  • The 100th Space Shuttle mission is flown
  • South African Cricket Board issues former captain a life ban as a result of match fixing allegations
  • The #1 best-selling fiction book was The Bear and the Dragon by Tom Clancy. A president contends with sinister forces afoot in Russia and China 
  • And, four days later, on October 15, Larry David’s comedy show “Curb Your Enthusiasm” debuted on HBO

It leads me to believe more fully that the more things change, the more they also stay the same.

Keep Preserving Your Bloom,



We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less
time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less
judgment; more experts, but less solutions; more medicine, but less wellness.



We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too
much, love too seldom, and hate too often. We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life; we’ve added years to life, not life to years.

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing
the street to meet the new neighbor. We’ve conquered outer space, but not
inner space; we’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; we’ve split the
atom, but not our prejudice.

We have higher incomes, but lower morals; we’ve become long on quantity,
but short on quality.

These are the times of tall men and short character, steep profits and
shallow relationships. These are the times of world peace, but domestic
warfare; more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but less nutrition.

These are days of two incomes, but more divorce; of fancier houses, but
broken homes. It is a time when there is much in the show window and
nothing in the stockroom –  a time when technology can bring this letter to you and a time when you can choose either to forward this message and make a
difference…or just hit delete. 



The above was written by Allan N. Levine on October 11, 2000 and sent out to various people via e mail. Someone forwarded it to me. I googled Mr. Levine (No relation to me even though my maiden name is Levine.)

All I could find was the following of Allan N. Levine’s life captured by the 1940 U.S. Census:
Allan N. Levine was born about 1932, the son of Sally and Joe. In 1940, he was 8 years old and lived in Portland, Maine, with his father, mother, brother, and 3 sisters. I’m not even sure if he is the same person who sent this e mail.

To put the above in further context here are some headlines from Wednesday, October 11, 2000:
Supreme Court: Justices to Hear Cases of Deportable Inmates With Nowhere To Be Deported To

In the Mideast: Time for a Recess; Palestinian Rights
Gay Marriage and the Campaign

US Warning China on Trade Pledges

Steroid Suspicions Abound in Major League Dugouts

Here are some events that actually occurred on October 11, 2000:

  • The 100th Space Shuttle mission is flown
  • South African Cricket Board issues former captain a life ban as a result of match fixing allegations
  • The #1 best-selling fiction book was The Bear and the Dragon by Tom Clancy. A president contends with sinister forces afoot in Russia and China 
  • And, four days later, on October 15, Larry David’s comedy show “Curb Your Enthusiasm” debuted on HBO

It leads me to believe more fully that the more things change, the more they also stay the same.

Keep Preserving Your Bloom,

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