Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

I guess we changed our minds about a few things.

Remember when we wanted to remove harsh chemicals from our homes? We wanted to use simpler soap and water to clean things. Now we want chlorine to disinfect our lives. Chlorine was invented in WWI (that was 1914-1918 for non history buffs) as a poison to kill people.

Remember when we wanted to save water? Now we let the water run for twenty seconds while we wash our hands. Let’s see, twenty seconds each person for a family of five…carry the one…and we are using a whole lotta’ water.

Remember when we wanted to reduce the screen time for our kids. They just didn’t need to be looking at those computers and tablets and such. Now we put them in front of the screens for their entire school day.

Remember the “Play 60” campaign from the NFL. Have our kids out playing hard for 60 minutes a day. Run and play and exercise. Now, well they can run and play as long as they don’t play with anyone else. Matter of fact, they need to be in the house where they are isolated and are looking at their computer screen doing their school work.

Remember when we had open work spaces at work? We didn’t want walls and barriers. Those things stilted communication and thoughts. Now, we want all the barriers we can get. If we can’t put up plastic shields, we’ll put on enough masks so that no one can see our expressions.

Remember when working from home just wasn’t going to work? We needed to be in the office. We needed face time with the boss. The boss needed to see us working to know that we were working. Many of us seem to be working just fine from home. Perhaps the boss figured out what it was we did all day.

Remember when the rich ordered their groceries and the food was delivered to their door? I guess that hasn’t changed. Maybe we changed who we call “rich” and “poor.” If you go to the grocery store yourself, or work at a grocery store, you are “poor.”

I guess there are more things we used to want to do, but seem to have forgotten. If I keep typing some will come to mind. But these are enough to make the point. I suppose there is a point to this.