My husband took this picture in Mexico of two young boys as they searched a garbage site for anything of value. Garbage disposal, recycling and other environment initiatives we value in first world countries are not a priority in poorer nations. While people in Mexico often keep their homes tidy and clean, the streets and empty lots in the cities and towns are full of trash. If our modern world was ever to be the object of an archaeological dig in future millennia, I wonder what conclusions would be drawn about our society?
Tim also took these pictures when they went to a desert area near Torréon in the state of Coahuila. They saw caves and rock faces marked with drawings from ancient times. These images have faded over the years and the rock has crumbled and shifted in places. I wonder what stories are told on these walls?
In the same area, these small artifacts were found...a couple of flint arrowheads, a piece of pottery, and a tool that was perhaps used for starting a fire. In all, the evidence pointed to a very simple way of life for these nomadic people, unlike life in the 21st century AD.
Man always has had a story to share. Modern society has documented itself in countless forms, but will any be as long lasting as these stone drawings? Millions of bloggers publish posts about their every day lives and opinions. These stories may vanish as the internet and computers evolve into some new type of technology. Will our language be understood by future generations?
Why do blogs have such a wide appeal? People have been "blogging" since time began, sharing stories of life, death, faith and hope, passing knowledge and experience from generation to generation.
Do you have a hard copy of your stories, perhaps not on rock, but in something other than cyberspace?
Great post as always.....I am writing a book for my grandchildren about my life....it will contain photographs as well.....I studied calligraphy many years ago, so will be writing in ink.........
ReplyDeleteI have also buried a box in my garden with interesting bits and pieces in........I did the same at my last house......it is buried deep........
I have a folder with some of my favorite blog posts (and comments) mostly my spiritual related stuff. I also have a hand written diary. If I lost my photos I think I would be heart broken though, (which reminds me, I need to run my backups!)
ReplyDeleteI like Cheryl's idea about burying the box in the garden...
I've pondered this Ruth, as my blog gets older that I have no hard copy of this journey of my life. Not that anyone would be riveted or anything, but it is disconcerting to know that if Bloggers servers melted down... poof! All our heartfelt posts are gone forever. Much to ponder.
ReplyDeleteI started a blog because keeping a paper journal was hard for me... I don't know why keeping an electronic journal is so much easier for me. But I have thought a lot about what will happen when cyberspace crashes... Where will it all go? I'm using blurb.com to make books of some of my stories... but that is pricey.
ReplyDeleteThis is a thought provoking post and I love your observations. I have always been attracted by history and for many years was immersed in genealogy. The need to communicate and share and to exchange images is very strong and the drive has always been there. Blogging is such a perfect medium in this our time, but I agree with you that the drive and need is not new. Your husband's trip sounds wonderful and his photos are lovely.
ReplyDeleteI especially love the photo editing on the first one which highlights the colourful clothing of the children. Perhaps the colour also symbolizes hope amid the drab and colourless environment that surrounds them.
Ruth--two observations. First, I work out many of my blogs first as essays. Sometimes not--e.g. soup recipes, or spur of moment observations. But memories etc. I do write out.
ReplyDeleteSecond, ancient bloggers! Nice title. One of the writing prompts I have given students is this--if some visitor from the future were to come upon your room, what would she or he make of the civilization that left these artifacts behind. What is in your room; what does it say about you; what does it say about our world. I always get interesting (though not very deep) responses.
I print out some of my blog entries for posterity. Someday, somebody may or may not pull them out and read them. I appreciate the photo albums my mother kept and her little notes. She told me a lot of family history but didn't write any down apart from the photo album marginalia, and I wish she had. I'm about a year behind in blog printing. That's not all bad as it gives some time and distance to help evaluation of what I should keep. Like others, I don't tend to write if I don't "publish" as a blog.
ReplyDeleteI think people would view us as a people who care little about the environment with all of our disposables....I think that a blog or a book helps us to feel connected and to pass on information. I think we are hard wired to do it.
ReplyDeleteYou can use blurb to make a hard copy of your blog.
I have worried about what will happen if blogger crashes. Will everything be gone forever, or will some genius be able to pull it back from a black hole in cyberspace? Whatever, the answer -I gotta backup my stuff!
ReplyDeleteActually, I never thought about keeping any sort of copy. Perhaps I should give it a second thought.
ReplyDeleteYou're right, we've increased our communications and the size of our networks, but how much of it is ephemera, that will vanish in the air, or in this case, into the electronic black hole. I often think too that we are less in touch with our immediate surroundings that our ancestors. We live in a guilded electronic age.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up an excellent point. I don't have anything written down, but use my blog as my diary of sightings and pictures so would be heart broken if I lost it all.
ReplyDeleteI too am a geneology buff and I have an electronic and hard copy of my family trees. Maybe I should print out my blog entries every month or save it in Microsoft Word or something.
BTW: Very cool photos!
Wonderful post, and I have enjoyed your husband's photos as well as all the other super ones you have on here. I have enjoyed my visit.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting comments. Thank you! I think we all know a hard copy is a good idea. Funny how it is easier to write for the internet than in a journal. I think it is because there is an immediate audience. We need to share our stories with others.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting post!
ReplyDeleteWhat catched my attention is the first picture which "speaks" for itself.
Very nicely said Ruth, and how I agree...
ReplyDeleteI guess I am utilizing both the digital world and still the element of rock and stone...
DSD
Nice blog you have. I wish I had known about blogging a few years ago. It's a lot of work to keep one going, but its nice to look back over the old pages.
ReplyDeleteLike those Indian artifacts.