The times they are a-changin’
Everyone knows those elders who complain about how much things have changed while fondly recalling either how much better things were in the old days or pointing out to younger people how much easier they have it today. You know, the “back when I was a kid” stories about walking to school through blizzards and learning the value of hard work.
I don’t want to be one of those grumpy old people pining for the past, yet I can’t help noticing how much things I’d always taken for granted have changed in recent years, and not always for the better. I’m not here to complain about technology – I try to embrace it – but rather to note the deficiencies or things that have been taken away that I’d thought we’d always have.
Let’s start with flying. After 9/11, those without tickets for a flight were no longer allowed to go to gates. That makes sense. What has gone backwards to me is the ability for people with average incomes to afford flights and even if they can afford them to not have to pay extra fees to sit beside the person they’re traveling with or to pick an aisle or window seat over a middle seat. Instead of encouraging people to check bags by making checked bags free – which could speed up boarding times – airlines instead charge fees for checked bags, but not always carry-ons, which leads to many more people with carry-ons clogging aisles and increasing boarding times. Now, some low budget airlines are even charging fees for carry-ons. Come on, just put all the fees together to honestly advertise the flight’s cost upfront.
Flying is already a caste system with frequent fliers – read, those who can afford to fly more often – earning points that help move them up into the plusher business and first-class seats. Those of us relegated by budget or priorities to economy walk sheepishly past those front-of plane privileged folks – who also get to board first – to get to our economy seats that grow tighter together each year.
I’m not even going to mention that everyone used to get served meals on cross country flights that now pass out only bland pretzel packets and maybe a drink. The food wasn’t good anyway, so that’s no loss, but airlines don’t even worry about customer service anymore.
Beyond the unfriendly skies, it also takes longer to get mail in recent years since the postmaster general did everything in his power to tank that governmental agency including getting rid of sorting machines while cutting staff. Even Amazon has lost its game in the quick delivery department. Packages that used to arrive in a day now take two to five days or more to get to my doorstep. It doesn’t usually matter, but it’s yet another thing that seems to have gone backwards.
Remember when it was possible to go out to eat at a restaurant on any day of the week? I hope you’re not traveling on a Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday now because it can sometimes be impossible to find a place open. Even on weekends, many places that used to thrive until midnight or 1 or 2 in the morning, regularly close by 10 or 11 or even earlier. We just can’t party like we used to. Honestly, that’s one change I’m happy about. I’m ready to crawl into bed by 10 with my book on any night of the week.
Totally not the same category of loss, but am I the only person who misses the little pottery animals and figures that came in a box of Red Rose tea? I actually lined them up on the lip of my counter backsplash. Too bad for Red Rose, I switched to Harney teas.
No one really misses malls even though they were the site of rendezvouses and escape for many teens of the past. We never imagined their complete demise taking us back to the days of strip malls, outlets, and WalMart. Most downtowns today are miniscule, which doesn’t hurt us so much for shopping since we can order anything online now, but does for ambiance and something to do. Did you ever wander through a 5 & 10 Cent Store as a kid? So much to save allowances for and always some penny candy. OK, now I do sound old, but I do miss downtowns with local businesses.
I can’t avoid the obvious after whatever happened yesterday (Election Day). I fear the future if our new government follows through on threats to eliminate the Departments of Education and Environmental Protection, to supersede the Justice Department, to prosecute enemies, to limit personal choices. Women already lost the right to consider abortion in many states after Roe v. Wade was overturned, but even those states where it’s still allowed as well as abortion pills are going to be challenged.
I never imagined a country without public schools. How can we even think of entrusting our children to private companies after seeing what the for-profit model did to the prison system? Would we consider relegating our children to the same type of moneymaking method while convincing ourselves that it’s better for poor kids? Don’t kid yourself. The rich kids will go to rich kid private schools and the poor kids will be in worse places than the struggling public schools they came from.
I started my career as a journalist working for seven-day-a week print newspapers. Many no longer exist, more are two- to three-days print models, and most are online only. In Pittsburgh, I worked for a union newspaper that protected the rights of the workers. Today, that paper’s owner refuses to give into union demands and has formed a new staff to continue producing the paper. Unions everywhere are struggling. Unions used to protect not only blue-collar workers, but all workers. Today, many blue-collar workers shun them, but complain they aren’t making sustainable wages.
Newspapers are dying or gone, so I’ve adapted with a website and an online blog. I fly economy when I travel, mostly taking the carry-on I despise and squishing into a middle seat sometimes next to strangers while my husband sits rows behind me. I shop local shops or online, sometimes waiting more than a week to get my purchases. I cook more and go to bed earlier.
We’ll adapt. We always do. But I still can’t help feeling like we are moving backwards.
