Losing the Culture
I don’t remember it firsthand but there was surely a time in this great country of ours when we had culture. There was surely a time when men of all social strata took their wives to the theatre (live theatre, not the movies) or to the opera. I’m sure there was a time when museums were relevant. I’m willing to bet that books were discussed. I bet ideas were shared and dissected. I’m sure there were spirited debates around water coolers and on construction sites. I’m sure there was a time in this country when people could tell you who the first president was or who the speaker of the house was. I don’t remember such marvels, but I have no doubt they were real. It’s impossible to believe that we always sat in waiting rooms or in restaurants staring at devices, at street fights and clever cats, at the same stale jokes being repeated over and over again. There was a time when we engaged one another in conversation. This cannot be the stuff of imagination. This was real. I’ve heard ab...