Pondering the Old and the New

I was puzzled by a recent cryptogram in our local newspaper. Oh, I solved it quickly enough; decoding it was a cinch. What made me ponder was its message:

"Nostalgia is like a grammar lesson: You find the present tense, but the past perfect."

Was the past better than the present? Or is the "New" more often better than the "Old"? Certainly a case can be made for both. Think of the excitement of a newborn baby; the smell of a new car; the benefits of state-of-the-art equipment; the importance of up-to-date information; the excitement of a hot new rookie; the inspiration of a fresh idea; a new release; a new perspective; a new beginning; a new ray of hope...

On the other hand, "Old" has a proven track record. The taste of an old-fashioned recipe; the comfort of an old shirt or pair of shoes; the warmth and understanding of an old friend; the value of an antique like an old coin, clock, or piece of furniture; the wisdom of an old adage; the strength of character that comes from embracing old-fashioned values.

In daily living, I am interested in finding new ways to apply old truths to new situations. For example, for Christmas we bought some DVD collections of old TV series. It was a "new" gift (certainly new to the kids, who never heard of this show or its actors) with relatively new digital technology. Our motivation? The incredible old-fashioned values they reinforce in our home. Similarly, I am using up-to-date software to create a new book with a fresh story idea which will be printed and bound by state-of-the-art equipment. But the central truth of this new book is as old as the hills. I haven't changed the time-tested principle; I just gave it a fresh voice.

Unfortunately, many foolishly abandon the old...the tried and true...and run to the newest philosophy, fad, or fashion, though it be unproven, without merit, or even downright foolish. They get "creative" in their financing, or "enlightened" in their parenting, or "open" in their relationships. These new approaches are nothing more than bad ideas that are doomed to fail and leave hurting people in their wake. So much that is called "new" is neither new, nor intellectually honest. Often, it is repackaged failure that steals from careless or ignorant people and puts money in the pockets of greedy people with no conscience. Like comdedians who rely on cheap laughs at crudity because they're too lazy to make the effort to come up with something that's both clever and clean. Like performers who rely on shock value because apparently they don't think they can compete otherwise. Like authors who make millions by concocting ludicrous drivel about the historical Jesus, unconcerned about the gullible who swallow fiction as fact.

As for me, I remain devoted to finding new ways to effectively promote old values. And in my spare time, I will get cozy with my family and a big old-fashioned bowl of popcorn and watch a black-and-white episode of "The Rifleman" as Lucas McCain plants yet another new seed of character in his son, Mark. (Or is it the Doris Day Show tonight?)