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This week, the House of Netjer celebrates the Saq (ritual appearance) of Min
and the Day of Entering the Eye of Ra into the
Horizon. It's a "slow month" for us, though it culminates in the Five
Days Upon the Year and then Kemetic New Year (been back to check our timer
yet? It's coming soon....) |
The Paradox of Our Age (Shomu IV )
While I generally don't like to publish other people's work in my own writings (especially if it's anonymous), this Wehem revolves around an anonymous piece I received in my e-mail this week and is something to think about.
In antiquity, especially during the First Intermediate Period, when Kemet descended
into civil war and no one was sure where Ma'at had
gone or how to find Her again, a number of pieces of literature were written to describe
the troubled times. The literature consisted of a list of complaints of how evil the
current times were, and normally culminated in lists of things which people should do or
remember in order to set the world right again. The doings and rememberings always
centered around proper piety to Netjer and care for one's fellow man.
Keeping in mind that "good times" and "bad times" are always relative,
these pieces of wisdom literature are as relevant in our time as they were for the sages
living through Kemet's difficult periods. I received something in my e-mail this week
which could have been written by Ipuwer himself (but instead hails from some anonymous but
observant fellow e-mailer). Give it some thought.
The Paradox Of Our Age
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 spend too recklessly, laugh too little,
drive too fast, get too angry too quickly,
stay up too late, get up too tired,
read too little, watch TV too much,
and pray too seldom.
We have multiplied our possessions,
but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too rarely
and lie 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 have higher incomes; but lower morals;
more food but less appeasement;
more acquaintances, but fewer friends;
more effort but less success.
We build more computers to hold more information,
to produce more copies than ever,
but have less communication;
we've become long on quantity,
but short on quality.
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 and 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,
throwaway 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,
yet nothing in the stockroom.
-Anonymous
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