Are things really any better these days?

WHILE going through some of my late mother’s possessions, I came across a copy of the former format of the Nottingham Evening Post, which was dated over 20 years ago.

Out of curiosity I proceeded to read it. The question arose as we hope and venture into another year with better prospects: has the world progressed since the days of the old newspaper I now held?

How has our terminology and technology changed with no positive progress to the present day?

At the time I had a basic mobile phone, the primary function of which was to make and receive calls and texts, along with being able to take grainy picture. Today I still use those same functions, along with an improved camera.

Two decades ago, we had plumbers, carpenters, joiners, painters, but today we have more elaborate job title, as found on card put through my letterbox, promoting the services of a “Water Solutions Consultant”.

Out of curiosity, I rang to inquire what that entailed. It’s a plumber.

With terminology and technology, are we making the world a more confusing and stressful place?

One only has to see the demands placed on parents at Christmas by the various media platforms and TV is adding to a world where a majority have suffered some form of mental health issues.

Whatever happened to a stress and peer pressure-free Christmas, where thoughtful and relevant gifts were given?

How many gifts today impact on the giver and are discarded after matter of days, but the debt incurred remains longer?

How much is down to poor budgeting or parenting? How many parents are held at ransom by their children’s love, which is dependent on a child’s demands being met, usually involving expensive consoles, games and designer clothes, which either go out of fashion or a new console is creates, in a race parents never win?

Tony Morris Carlton