Amnesic Nostalgia

One of the sociology classes I took in order to complete my minor was "Family and Society."  The instructor was very charismatic and I remember more tidbits from just interesting things she said than I do from any other class.  I remember her speaking about progress and how there are always those who look back with a sort of amnesic nostalgia.  She called it amnesic nostalgia because these people tend to believe in the "good ole days" as if things were better "back then."  The amnesic part is the fact that there are always social problems, but when we are feeling nostalgic, we block these bad things out. Think back about high school, unless you had some traumatic experience, you probably default to the good times.  Anyway, the instructor went on to say that these people are often opposed to new technology and significant change.  They fear or wish to avoid things that change the way things are done.

Well.  I believe I may be one of these people.  Obviously there is a paradox built into this belief system, I don't like some progress, but I certainly like the kind that develops green technology or cancer-fighting drugs. So can you have it both ways?  I don't care to have new electronics like iPods, fancy digital cameras, and state of the art computer systems.  I recently got a Nook and, I'll be honest, I've wrestled internally with whether or not I am happy about it.  I want to hoe my garden by hand, not with a roto-tiller.  I want to bake from scratch (on the rare occassion that I bake!).  I want to can fruits and veggies. I want to have a pantry filled with jams, pickles, and other such homemade delicacies.  I want to raise all of my own food.  I want to never worry about a calorie because I burn far more in producing the food than I do in consuming it.  I feel that non-air-conditioned air is "fresher."  I also want my life to slow down.  I want to keep perspective.

The problem? I don't have time for many of these activities. I like an AC window unit in my bedroom because it helps my allergies.  I like that I can keep my Nook in my purse and I have a book on hand ALWAYS.  I like that when I just can't pick another potato bug off of my plants, I can just sprinkle the tiniest amount of 7 Dust and call it a night. So I struggle with the medium.  I want to raise my son to appreciate the way things were once done. I want him to learn to write in cursive and to appreciate old books, movies, and music.  For no other reason than because I just want to teach him to appreciate. It's like when your math teacher made you do things the long way, then introduced you to the short cut.

As a public school teacher I am, of course, a member of a union.  Again, unions are a structure in our society that I value and respect.  I also believe it is my civic duty to take an active role in preserving unions and working within my own.  I feel the same way about voting.  I feel that it is our duty as Americans to affect what ever version of democracy we are currently living under. So what do you do when you feel as if you don't have a voice? The government is legislating how unions do business. The battles with administration feel like they can't be won.  I don't have a clue how to vote in the next election because I'm unhappy with all of my choices.  

It feels as though it is more and more difficult to respect these once-respectable institutions.  Even grocery shopping has become difficult.  I want to feed my family wholesome products, but many meat, fruit, and veggie suppliers are not required to tell the truth on their packaging.  I'm starting to feel like the more I learn, the harder it is to find happiness.  I'm starting to understand the phrase "ignorance is bliss."  I don't want to be pessimistic, but it feels to me like everything is changing and I just want to go back to the "good ole days."  I am being ironic on purpose. I know that there are no "good ole days."  I know that my generation is not the first to struggle with change, progress, or frustration in their governing body.  I know all of this, but that doesn't make any of it any easier, now does it?