The Paradox of our Time 
..... by George Carlin 
 
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 write more, but learn less. 
We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to 
wait. 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. 

George Carlin