The Center will not hold? Doom and gloom for the New Year?

Ebert wrote a blog post.

It’s all coming to pieces, isn’t it — the world we live in, the continuity we thought we could count on, the climate, the economy, the fragile peace. The 20th century was called “the American Century,” with some reason. I do not believe the 21st century will belong to anybody, and it may not last for 100 years of human witness. There are nuclear weapons in the Middle East and on the Indian subcontinent, and if one is used, more will follow and who can say when the devastation will end?

Oh ya, I know of what you speak, but I’m in a more “Yeah, but I’m focusing on what we can do to make a better world now. Roll up sleaves.” mood right now. Largely thanks to otptimstic hard workers like Obama  and my friend Heather. So this was my reply:

Hi Ebert,

I just love you. I probably won’t meet you in person, so I wanted to say it now. I’m glad you’re around.

You know what, I have been SO down hearted about the state of the world ever since George Bush was elected the first time, especially after 9/11. But now I’m feeling better. So many people are doing so much to turn systems that haven’t been working for a long time around. This really could be the start of a better way of functioning.

Also, there have been worse times. WAY worse. So many times of cruelty and darkness and rampant disease through human history. In recent times, there was Great Depression, I think there was 40% unemployment! It seems a foregone conclusion that they would get through it but I’ve read that at the time people really worried that the great expiriemnt called the United States of America was over. It wasn’t.

I think democracy will out, and will get better, but it will take courage and OPTIMISM! So, don’t be afraid, think of solutions, participate, and create bonds with your fellow beings. Get to know your neighbors. Seriously, a neccesity and benefit of hard times is help from neighbors.

I used to think of England as a boring country. (Sorry, England) But then I read about how they took down all of their street signs during World War II so if the Germans invaded they would get lost, they hid underground, they were so freaking hardy and brave. We are not in that desperate of straights. It’s not time to get scared. It’s time to get hardy and very civic minded.

With absolute fan love,
Braidwood

Related posts

• War of the Worlds (1)
• Star Wars (2)
• Reading Ebert reviews (1)