Change...

Change for the sake of change, is not necessarily good.

Nor necessary.  

Let me give you an example.  The very last American car with hand crank windows was the 2025 Jeep Wrangler.  This year's Wrangler comes standard with power windows.  As well as every other American car and truck.  

Why?  For purposes of standardization.  To stock both hand crank and power window lift assemblies is costly to the manufacturers.  They don't know how many of each to order or stock, thus increased costs.  So the manufacturers order only power window assemblies from their suppliers.  And then fold the cost of power windows into their new car price tags.  Like they're doing you a favor.  And you keep on buying them.

Is that a good thing?  Depends upon whom you ask.  For me it is.  I can remember having to stretch waaay over the seat to reach the far right window so as to crank it down.  For those lazy summer drives with the wind in your hair.  

But those power asemblies often go bad.  And that's a $600 dollar repair charge.  At least.  And they add extra weight.  As do every other motorized button you push that does something for you you could easily do for yourself.

And they add an extra cost you might not want to spend.  My first new car was a 1962 Chevrolet Impala Super Sport 409 cube, 409 horse.  4-speed, posi-trac, bucket seats.  Honduras maroon with black interior.  $2,824.00 out the door.  And it weighed only 2,890 pounds.  Of course, it had no air bags or anti-lock brakes or any other modern safety gear.  And they all add weight.

As in, the average new 4-door sedan weighs at least 4,200 pounds.  That's 1,400 pounds more than my '62  Impala.  Is that good?  You have to buy extra $6.00 a gallon (California) gas to cart all that extra weight around. 

And the average new car costs $51,190.  With $750.00 a month payments for 84 months.  That's not a good change.  Not for me, not for you.  

And when I was coming up we knew that next year's car would be bigger, faster, more powerful, prettier, and handle better.  With 18 colors to choose from.  Pink and lime green and a nice toasty brown.  Today?  Every car looks the same, next year's car won't be any better, it won't be faster or handle better, and it for sure won't be lighter or cost less.  In fact, it just might be worse.  Heavier and slower and guzzle more gas.  And 80% of all new cars are black, silver, or blue.  Have those changes been for the better?

I'd say no.

Another one?  Sure.

I remember when I was a kid, back when Christ was a corporal, there was one thing that held true to every family, no matter whether they were Black or White, rich or poor, or from the North or the South.  Come dinner (or supper) time, every member of the family had to have their ass in a chair around the dinner table or they didn't eat.  How's that for a sentence?

There was no Internet.  No cell phones.  No laptops.  No Facebook or Google or X or Instagram or TicTok.  And only 3 channels and they were all black and white.  No place to have your face except looking at your mom and dad. And sister Kate and brother Mike.  You spent that half hour catching up with your family.  About the happenings around your house.  And then  you went off to study or out for a date.  But you never, ever missed those few moments.  Have we progressed?  

I'd say no.  

We now live in our own little bubble, completely divorced from our family and friends.  Or even wife or husband.  I've said for years that the 'Net is the bane of our existence.  That it will bury us.  And we should sh*tcan it.  Today.  We should go back to the days when family and friends came first.  When we went out to meet girls instead of hoping our dating sites would bring us a girl- or boyfriend.  Face it.  We've devolved.

Just because you can order a thing from Amazon and have it delivered before sunrise tomorrow doesn't mean you should.  And just because Elon can cause a rocket booster to bring itself back to Earth in one piece doesn't mean we should care.  Good for him, not necessarily for us.  

There is almost exactly twice the number of souls in Armerica now as of the day I was born.  And we're paying a price for that crowding.  We are less friendly.  And helpful.  And caring.  And more self-centered.

I fondly recall the nights will my girl in a Pizza Hut consuming a large, 3-topping pie, a carafe of White Zinfandel, and walking out with change from a $20.00.  After leaving a good sized tip. And then heading for the drive-in movie just as the sun goes down.  I remember seeing Dirty Dancing and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly as a double feature.  Windows all cranked down, eating popcorn and drinking Cokes.  With the breeze blowing through our car.  I pine for the good ol' days.  They'll never come back, and that's a shame.  And those who never experienced them don't know what they're missing.

So I say get back to having dinner at 6:00 with your family.  Then turning off the TV and shutting off your cell phones and playing Monopoly with your clan.  You just might enjoy it...