As the year and more importantly the decade come to a close, I wonder what will be the defining moment, phenomenon, etc. of the '00s. The obvious answer is 9/11, but it seems as if all of "the aughts" were about doom and gloom: 9/11 and its aftermath, the war in Iraq, the south Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, the rising impact of industrialization on the environment, the global economic crisis, et al. Not to be Mr. Grumpy Pants, but I have to agree. There wasn't a lot to celebrate this decade. Personally, I spent a lot of time complaining about the world and losing faith in the human race after hearing about every celebrity scandal or petty concern. This decade created many pessimists, and as the world continues to spiral out of control, there's no doubt that pessimism is a growing trend.
This is certainly the decade for change. The world has evolved into a multi-polar world, flattened by the effects of globalization and technology. Industrialized countries no longer hold all influence—the rise of emerging markets has transformed the global economy, and the rest of the world is scrambling to evolve with it. Globalization has certainly brought people closer together—the world is more interconnected than ever before. But everything has its consequences. Globalization certainly does: it fuels reactionary fundamentalist groups who want to rebel against the wings of change, which have, in their opinion, distorted their traditional livelihoods.
But change was only a buzzword. Did any significant social change actually manifest itself? Sure, the US elected its first African-American president, which certainly represented a turning point in history. What about all the societal issues we constantly wish to change? Isn't it time society stepped up and actually created change? Problems cannot solve themselves, so it is my wish that the 2010s will be about carrying out the promise of positive change. If there's one thing President Obama has achieved, it's empowering our generation to get involved in the world, our world. Our generation truly has the power to achieve change, and the next decade will be our time to shine.
Just a little reflection in the waning hours of the decade. Like most people, I don't have time to properly recount this decade, i.e. make lists of the most defining events, albums, films, books, viral videos, comedic moments, etc (see the Internet), so I hope this will suffice. No matter how much of an optimist or a pessimist you are, I think you'll agree that the '00s were an interesting time to be around.
Adieu, 2000s. It's been real. 2010s, here we come!
Now, what to call this decade? Hmm...
More musings...
This is certainly the decade for change. The world has evolved into a multi-polar world, flattened by the effects of globalization and technology. Industrialized countries no longer hold all influence—the rise of emerging markets has transformed the global economy, and the rest of the world is scrambling to evolve with it. Globalization has certainly brought people closer together—the world is more interconnected than ever before. But everything has its consequences. Globalization certainly does: it fuels reactionary fundamentalist groups who want to rebel against the wings of change, which have, in their opinion, distorted their traditional livelihoods.
But change was only a buzzword. Did any significant social change actually manifest itself? Sure, the US elected its first African-American president, which certainly represented a turning point in history. What about all the societal issues we constantly wish to change? Isn't it time society stepped up and actually created change? Problems cannot solve themselves, so it is my wish that the 2010s will be about carrying out the promise of positive change. If there's one thing President Obama has achieved, it's empowering our generation to get involved in the world, our world. Our generation truly has the power to achieve change, and the next decade will be our time to shine.
Just a little reflection in the waning hours of the decade. Like most people, I don't have time to properly recount this decade, i.e. make lists of the most defining events, albums, films, books, viral videos, comedic moments, etc (see the Internet), so I hope this will suffice. No matter how much of an optimist or a pessimist you are, I think you'll agree that the '00s were an interesting time to be around.
Adieu, 2000s. It's been real. 2010s, here we come!
Now, what to call this decade? Hmm...
