It’s been a common complaint throughout the ages that “the younger generations are worse than us”. It was said during Marlowe’s time, Hardy’s time, Waugh’s time, my time, and probably hundred years from now. But just how much of this is the truth, really?

The truth of the matter is: in matter of things that require long time to develop, probably.

Our lives have been getting busier and busier. Back in Hardy’s day it’s rather clear a woman could learn handwriting and had time to read; then Waugh’s time came and girls were flitting around having parties; nowadays handwriting is almost virtually unheard of.

Busier and busier means less and less time. No, a day is still 24 hours, but there is less time to spend per activity. And as our lives get busier and busier, things get more mass-produced and quickly digested (seriously, how many books have you read the past month?). Reading is out. Movies and games are in. And if you read, well, congratulations, you are now a minority group. Borders is closed, Spenser is kicked off the bookshelf… if such thing even exists in people’s houses.

I’m not saying yesterday is better, but I think we had a bit more emotional capacity in the past. People used to write love letters; now skype and text have replaced them, and quite frankly, they’re about as dry and tasteless as a week old slice of bread.