Once Upon A Time In My American Dream

1 Once upon a time, computers were really large, had very little memory and were extremely expensive. Now computers are really cheap, compact and have tons of memory. They've become an addictive obsession, stealing the time we used to spend together just hanging out.

2 Once upon time, there was no way to call or text someone from a crowded movie theater, a bathroom stall or a baseball game. Those events were considered sacred. Now with cell phones no event is considered sacred, not even a funeral.

3 Once upon a time, we were clueless that hot dogs, movie popcorn and diet sodas could be hazardous to our health. Now we simply pretend we're clueless to those same facts several times a week.

4 Once upon a time, we prayed out loud together in our classrooms. Now we pray at home silently that no one brings a gun to school to kill our kids in the classroom. 

5 Once upon a time, we watched movies from inside our cars with the sound coming out of a horrible little speaker that hung from the car window. Now we watch movies from inside our hand-held devices with horrible little speakers hanging from our ears.

6 Once upon a time, our leaders would lie behind our backs, hide the truth and go to any length to keep secrets. Now our government lies in our faces, spins the truth and goes to any length to sell their secrets to the highest bidder.

7 Once upon a time, we had these cool places called record stores where we could buy music and talk about music with some really cool guy who knew everything. Now we buy our music isolated on the internet and we only talk to people electronically when something goes wrong. Nothing cool about that.

8 Once upon a time, every person on an airplane was served a free in flight meal they would later regret. Now we pay seven to ten dollars for those same regrettable meals.

9 Once upon a time, we watched our family home videos on something called VHS tapes. Now we watch endless disposable home videos made by people from all over the world on something called YouTube.

10  Once upon a time, a journalism degree was required to report the news and we paid for the paper it was printed on. Now anybody can report the news even if it's not true and now it's circulated for free The new rule in journalism is; if it's on the internet it must be true. 

Progress is creating brand new fairy tales in my America every hour of each new day. Once upon a time, there was no way for you to read my Once Upon A Time List unless it was published in a magazine, newspaper or mailed to you in a letter.

So, where do we go from here? 

(Please add to my list in comments)

Photo by Eric M. Gustafson [link]

Comments

[Lady Banana]

I remember the excitement of going into a record shop to buy my music and then rushing home to listen to it, dreamily gazing at the often beautiful artwork on the sleeve.. oh I'm old..LOL

[Lora]

#9 is wicked funny!

Let's all pray that we are nicer to everyone so that #4 just doesn't happen.

I ran a music store for 5 years. So you can talk to me anytime does that count for #7 LOL

Be safe...

[David G]

This is one powerful collection of recollections. Imagine what your child will be writing 20 years from now - "We used to watch hilarious home-made videos on YouTube until Steve Jobs invented the direct only neuron transmitter (DONT) that implants music right into our heads, bypassing our ears completely."

[Jim Ticehurst]

Once upon a time would I have spent time reading the comments of someone that I have never heard of and will almost certainly never meet?