All of us newspaper readers have our favorite sections, and yes, changes in newspapers have been continual, just as does every slice of life make changes, modifications, alterations. For example, one segment of readership may want to peruse classified ads, or, commentaries, or, letters, or, sports, or, meetings, or….
Yes, the cost of newspaper print remains a factor in the future, and integrated into the system will be online situations which require alignment with the computer entity.
Communications will continue. They must out of necessity. One concern is the unregulated factor in online situations among non-communications specialists. Fabrications seeking to pass for facts always will be a concern. Stretching the truth, lack of understanding, and outright lies, likely will be a plague of unregulated communications. It will put society to the test. We are intrepid and will continue.
We at The Voice were especially pleased with the Independence Day wishes in the June 29 edition. The communications of such promotions and ideas remain strong, necessary, and a part of communities.
Independence Day is a holiday and idea which are strictly an American theme. Many other countries have their own celebrations, and a sense of independence, however, the unique method of construction of independence is strictly focused on the United States. A brand of individualism joined in concert with other individuals was derived at a special time by a special mentality, and self-reliance that could not just happen at any time or place.
There were many heroes from young philosopher Thomas Jefferson to the relatively modest and unknown individuals who participated.
For the most part, the strong, wealthy, organized British soldiers and statesmen, issued orders and held little regard for the ragtag group of renegades. Great Britain had concerns for their European situations and ultimately let go intertanglements with the young colonies’ representatives. That soon changed. The colonies developed into a country with growing strength. The original 13 colonies grew over time, rather quickly when president Jefferson oversaw the growth of more colonies in the early 19th Century. Illinois became a state in 1818. Westward expansion changed the perspective of the United States. In 1893, Frederick Jackson Turner, a noted historian, was author of an historical perspective that the U.S. frontier was closed to expansion. The populace would have to settle and fill land within the boundaries.
Intrepid sources helped to expand the boundaries to Alaska and Hawaii as 49th and 50th states, the latter two outside the continental boundaries of the country. Yes, our country truly does change every decade or even in less time, although it may appear to to be difficult to perceive. We are nearly always changing. Still, a work in progress.
In the next decade the mindset, genetics, thought-process, and tenor of our country will be in flux. Still, some of what makes us Americans continues a strain in what makes up the persons of the country. In spite of continual changes, we are similar and interconnected in many ways through 1776, 1826, 1876, and 2023.
The recent generations, because of complications, both with the shut down of society within the COVID of 2019 and other changes, there is less an air of a strong psyche within American society.
Will that attitude of strength return? What will historians and sociologists assess of the decade of the 2020s? We still have time to bring additional positive changes to our culture.
What we may not perceive is that each generation both learns from the past and has time to create its own stamp of identity. We must be forward-leaning, revolutionary, and rely on past success to form a culture and profound identity.
The intangible attitude of hard work, democracy, political opportunity, and a positive attitude, will continue to be a hallmark of the American psyche. This week makes 247 years since the Declaration of Independence: “The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America, When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare…separation…. Authors: Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Robert R. Linvingston, Roger Sherman. Many signers….