28: Is it History?

Welcome to The Roaring 20s. A decade where sociological change is all the rage, consumerism is how you make your money, technology is growing rapidly, and all we want to do is de-escalate tension around the world. Let’s not fool ourselves, I am not talking about the 1920s, but the comparison is interesting.

Note: Before I or anyone else gets bent out of shape about all of this post, let me remind you that politics and conspiracy theories fall into the I will believe it when I see it category, and hate is something I do not have the time or energy to indulge. Like most people, I judge others on their actions, and not on what they say, think, or believe. This post is about an expression of human nature.

Yes, it may sound odd to say that we are reliving the 1920s, but what was happening back then is happening now. I am sure you have heard the phrase 'History repeats itself,' but this is not just some idle saying.

I think a better way of stating it is “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” This phrase has been repeated in all forms of entertainment throughout all the years that I have been on this earth, and I know it goes back further than that. But, let me provide a comparison of the 1920s and the 2020s before I get into that.

Tension

In the 1920s, the fear of communism, a rise in anti-immigrant sentiment, and economic instability brought forth the push for an isolationist approach. You might say that this was due to the aftermath of the First World War, but there were other things going on at home and abroad.

The Palmer Raids were a domestic operation that arrested thousands of suspected communists and anarchists. Have you ever heard of the Banana Wars? It involved using the US military as intervention and support roles for certain regimes against rebels. This was to maintain order and protect US interests.

In the 2020s, fear of communism is still around, although not as strong as it once was. As for anti-immigrant sentiment and economic instability, it does not take that much effort to see how it is a valid concern right now.

In an attempt not to fall into a political or moral trap of any kind, just dropping a few names like ICE, the Middle East, or Russia should be enough to remind people that regardless of what side you are on, the pressure is real and it is something that cannot be ignored.

Technological Advancements

The 1920s gave the US mass production and the commercialization of the automobile and radios, which led to different voices being heard by all sorts of people. Assembly lines and electronic appliances changed how people lived their lives giving rise to urban and suburban lifestyles.

The 2020s is providing us with the capabilities of Artificial Intelligence that has led to the mass production of nearly any digital media you can imagine, while the most unadorned smartphone would be something that H. G. Wells might have dreamed about.

Modern tech has changed the way we interact with people and how we live our lives. I am not going to hold your hand, you can decide for yourself if that is a good or bad thing. The only thing I have to say about technology is that it only flows in one direction. (Cryptic? Maybe, but only time will tell.)

Society

During the 1920s, some of the changes to the US as a whole occurred due to the technology of that era, while others dealt with social norms. Automobiles and radio both made it possible for people to find different forms of entertainment and ways of thinking; they helped diminish the distance between in a fundamental way.

The US started to change how they viewed their lives, and things began to clash. Modernism versus traditionalism; the debates as well as outright arguments over immigration, race, alcohol, gender roles, and religion, were the topics of choice during that point in time.

At the beginning of the 2020s, COVID caused the US and many other countries to rely on technology to keep us connected to the world, and social media platforms alone have all but diminished the distance between people when it comes to staying connected. We live in a world where information might be the only thing that is easily accessible.

And yet, the same topics are still relevant 100 years later—traditional values vs. modern ones, immigration, race, alcohol, gender roles, and religion. Sure, there are plenty more topics that I could have added to this list, but adding them will not change the point I am trying to get across.

To Conclude

In our modern world, people tend to forget that 100 years ago, people were living their lives, trying to make sense of the ever-changing world around them. No one was or will ever be perfect. The greatest advantage that anyone will ever have is understanding the who, what, where, when, and how of those who have attempted to do what we wish to accomplish.

Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr wrote, "plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose," in his 1849 journal Les Guêpes. The English translation is, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” His words were a cynical observation that viewed superficial changes as nothing that could affect the fundamental problems that lay beneath.

Make a judgment call if you feel you must, but people have always questioned the things that appear to move civilization forward. So, is it history or is it just human nature that drives people not to fully address and/or solve the issues that have been around for more than the time frame I have mentioned? I do not have an answer, but if I did, someone, somewhere would disagree. Until next time, I am Nolan… Ex Tenebris.