the decade crumbled forward

With a turn of the page, the decade that was without a name, if not logic, has finally ended. Though it remains to be seen if it merely a symbolic change of the date or if my optimistic visions of the future has gotten the best of me, the decade of the "tens" is warmly welcomed.

The now previous decade ominously started with the warnings of "Y2K", a fear of technological breakdown that was quickly forgotten. Yet while many breathed a sigh of relief that the endless array of digital products did not malfunction with the new millennium, a different type of technological hell lay in waiting.

Technology, the once saviour of the future, took other turn whereby education and appreciation of culture and creativity seemed to be forgotten all too quickly. Truthfully, it was not the sins of the "tech world" but the world’s adaptation to the new tools and gadgets. Nevertheless, the rapid escalation of technology did not result in improved "higher learning" but instead a tendency to lean further upon it and reduce the factor of truly gaining knowledge. Continuing the process of merely "cut and pasting" works of others, that started roughly twenty years ago, the leather soaked world of fine libraries has not only become a rare breed but so has the process of review, debate, visualizing new ideas and developing solutions. The basic fact is that solutions to the problems of today cannot be found so easily in a world that is conditioned to cut and paste.

As the decade crumbled forward, dispossessed of knowledge and culture, this failing notion of original thought was seen most through what I hasten to call "mainstream arts". Whether it is the endless barrage of reality television shows targeted towards a society that no longer "experiences life" or a dismal mainstream music scene that repackages the looks for artists from another era or rolls out cover songs as "chart toppers", the basic truth is that the death rattle of creativity is loud and clear.

Still in another direction, journalism has all but perished and whilst some claim victory with the bold new world of "citizen journalist", quality control and standards are near extinct. Is there any hope for journalism when the public is conditioned to the mundane world of tabloid exploitation? Though the field of journalism is a both guilty of not pushing standards and victim to the public's insatiable desire of tabloid style news and the ever-present fascination of celebrities, the result is a the same and the future is bleak.

In-truth to reverse this trend will take an epic shift in the public's vision of not simply education but style of life. Within education, it must be given its due respect with both the public and governments recognizing the importance of teachers, mentors and scholastic studies. This is a dreadful over-simplification because it requires a personal accountability of respecting the need for education that must stretch throughout society far beyond the classroom and in codes of conduct and the family unit.

The first step in laying a foundation for the future starts in possibly the most curious of ways considering the medium that the message is delivered. Turn the computer and the mobile off. Go "off the grid" for a day or two and instead search out your nearest library, art gallery or museum. Spend the day, reading, learning, absorbing and possibly over a fine Chablis or coffeehouse chatter with friends, think and debate about the day’s goings on. As you expand the mind, you will in-turn improve the quality of your life and ultimately explore the boundaries of true education. This is my charge for "the tens" and one that I am hopeful will be enacted upon.