It was a time of despair

A time when everything was tried and nothing worked

There was a feeling there was a lack of purpose to life

This was combined with a growing desire to consume

The desire to develop the means to consume in vast quantities

Along with a desire to live even though everyone knew it did not matter

It was a time of despair when the general consensus was:

Freud didn't work

Jung didn't work

Capitalism and Communism didn't work

Religion didn't work

Nationalism, Culture, Society, History: They all didn't work

Everything that ever preceded that moment was found to fail

It was a time of despair

When people hid from themselves

When they could recite a litany of commercial jingles and love songs better than priests could recite prayers

When it was more important to seek distraction than to communicate with one another

It was a time when it was important not to think for one's self

Important only to merge with accepted ideas and considerations well tested and approved

It was a time of despair

And he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it

©1992 - Stanley M. Fried