I've had it. I can't take it anymore. Once and for all, I am going to leave this ghastly place leaving others to fend for themselves in this modern hell!
What? No! I am not going to take my own life. Rather, I will take my life out of 2022 and go back to another time, a time where I could relate to what was happening. That's right, I am going to back to my birth year of 1972!
I just have to work out the details of getting there. I don't have a plutonium-powered DeLorean or a spaceship that can slingshot around the sun. If anyone has access to an inter-dimensional wormhole, text me.
That little technicality aside, let's answer the big WHY aspect of this. The HOW is already unlikely enough, so I might as well go into my reasons and philosophy.
Basically, the world is fucked right now, most of all America. I am 49 years old and have seen a gradual downfall of morals, politics, and media...sadly they feed on each other constantly and have grown into a satanic blob pitting the citizens against each other, even family members, over little things that should be laughed off.
However, people aren't laughing anymore, not like they used to. Everyone takes everything so damn seriously now. It has become so angry and hostile...and violent.
The pandemic alone has altered or destroyed so many lives. I didn't escape unscathed. Two years of wearing masks did a number on me and I am still recovering. Others died, went crazy, The sadness of it was that COVID became a political and social weapon, not a medical issue.
Now let's go to politics. In my life I have seen several U.S. Presidents, almost all of them middle aged to old white guys, which was the norm for most of U.S. history with a few exceptions. Then a Black guy was elected...twice! After his time was done, we as a nation put in another entertainer of sorts. We already enjoyed one in Reagan, so why not another? This time we installed a combo of Don Rickles and Morton Downey Jr in terms of subtlety. This in itself wasn't the bad part, for we tried to convince ourselves that a non-political entity in there would help shake things up. Oh, Mr. Trump shook them all right! He shook them to the point of being impeached twice and trying illegally to hold onto his oval office. And people want him back.
Russia was once our enemy...now we have "leaders" who glorify and defend the actions of a former KGB agent, current president.
On the flip side of the political coin, there is such a large movement on many sides trying to control what people can watch on TV and what people can and cannot say. That to me defies core principles in our Constitution.
That's politics...let's go to the media. I used to trust the news. People came on the air, told you the happenings, and left you to ponder the importance of it all in regard to you, your family and friends, and society in general. Now there are a bunch of assholes on several stations that TELL you WHAT may or may not be true, tell you WHAT to think of it all, and TELL you WHO is to blame. On top of that, there is social media online where ordinary citizens post a lot of bullshit "news" and personal views...I've seen friendships and family relations dissolve on social media over the past 6 or 7 years.
And now let's go to the morals. I'm not sure where they went for many people. I have gone to church many times in my life and felt a personal relationship with God form and develop. I enjoy this relationship to this day, and have a good idea when I have strayed and needed to get back on the right track. I am not seeing a lot of that these days. I see churches get over-involved with politics, even going to the point of saying if you don't believe in our President, you don't believe in God. I have read about church leaders committing sexual atrocities on children that would get most people sent to prison...many of these people just get sent to a different town like they were in Witness Protection! We have political "leaders" (as opposed to modest servants of the People) do the bidding of rich fuckers so they can stay in office and continue "representing" the People. This is why medical care is so expensive, why education suffers, why homes cost so much.
As for myself, I have tried to be the best family man I can, be the best teacher I can me, and be the best me that I can muster...on my current track, I do not see things improving. I will always be carrying burdensome debt, always dealing with some crisis, always wondering when things will get better.
I am tired of wondering. Tired of dealing. Tired of carrying. Tired of watching the world burn.
But why 1972?
Simply, it seems to be a year of good music, better vibes, a clearer idea of what was right and wrong.
There certainly was no Internet. If you wanted to find something out, you had to do some actual research by going to a library and looking it up...or look in an encyclopedia. By doing this you found information without getting a free opinion.
People were outside more. Play structures in parks were more fun for kids.
In 1972 if you went to a store in your pajamas, they'd likely kick you out.
TV didn't have disclaimers for their shows...you watched or you didn't. Most markets had only a few channels, no massive cable packages with a lot of useless channels and shows. Most stations were off the air late at night. No 24/7 outlets. Some radio stations were like this as well.
As there were no online distractions, families spent more time together (for better or for worse) talking or playing games.
Schools had a curriculum to teach, not standards...school lunches were made at school, not prepackaged.
Our enemy was communism and the USSR. Simple.
Was it perfect? Absolutely not. Vietnam was still a bone of contention. Watergate was about to put trust of the government to the test. People still had problems. Different ones for many.
Still, I could go back with a decent sum of money and live out my remaining days. I could then see what happened with a more mature pair of eyes and not glorify those events.
I'd just have to watch out for who I bump into. A small price.
I can dream, can't I? Dreams are what make things possible...and more acceptable.
