The Paradox Of Our Time Lyrics

The paradox of our time in history is that
we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider
freeways but narrower viewpoints.
We spend more, but have less. We buy more, but enjoy
it less.
We have bigger houses and smaller families; more
conveniences, but less time;
We have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge,
but less judgment;
more experts, but more problems; more medicine, but
less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too
recklessly, laugh too little,
drive too fast, get too angry too quickly, stay up too
late, get up too tired,
read too seldom, watch TV too much, and pray too
seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our
values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life.
We’ve added years to life, not life to years.
We’ve been all the way to the moon and back,
but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new
neighbor.

We’ve conquered outer space, but not inner space.
We’ve done larger things, but not better things.
We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.
We’ve split the atom, but not our prejudice. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait.
We plan more, but accomplish less.
We write more, but learn less.
We build more computers
to hold more information
to produce more copies than ever,
but have less communication.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion;
tall men, and short character; steep profits, and
shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic
warfare;
more leisure, but less fun; more kinds of food, but
less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes, but more divorce;
of fancier houses, but broken homes.
These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers,
throw-away morality,
one-night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do
everything from cheer to quiet, to kill.
It is a time when there is much in the show window
and nothing in the stockroom;
a time when technology can bring this letter to you,
and a time when you can choose either to share this
insight,
or to just hit delete.

EDIT: While commonly attributed to George Carlin, this
piece was written by Dr. Bob Moorehead, and published
in his 1995 book, Words Aptly Spoken.

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