I grew up in Washington DC. I remember NORAD false alerts in the late 70s and early 80s. And the first Wednesday of the month siren tests. The novel *Alas Babylon* was a notable low point in my expectations of surviving.
You nailed it Paul. I remember the fear of nuclear war as a kid like it was yesterday (I’m 56). It’s a good reminder of how resilient we can be and how the little aggravations in life don’t really mean shit.
Sure, we did drills in elementary school where we went under our desks so that we would be OK if a nuclear bomb landed in our midst. Eventually we learned this was silly. Then, we want on to create a world where elementary school students now do active shooter drills instead. In their case, the realness and importance of these drills is as serious as death. I think we can forgive them if they have forgotten the stuff we worried about.
I'm not suggesting our kids have forgotten about the stuff we worry about. I'm saying that WE have shoved it down and buried like spent uranium that leaks radioactive isotope juice into the ground soil of our psyches. But hey, I'm sure you're fine.
I grew up in Washington DC. I remember NORAD false alerts in the late 70s and early 80s. And the first Wednesday of the month siren tests. The novel *Alas Babylon* was a notable low point in my expectations of surviving.
Alas Babylon sounds like a page-turner!
You nailed it Paul. I remember the fear of nuclear war as a kid like it was yesterday (I’m 56). It’s a good reminder of how resilient we can be and how the little aggravations in life don’t really mean shit.
thanks, Mike. Enjoy the Xanax!
Sure, we did drills in elementary school where we went under our desks so that we would be OK if a nuclear bomb landed in our midst. Eventually we learned this was silly. Then, we want on to create a world where elementary school students now do active shooter drills instead. In their case, the realness and importance of these drills is as serious as death. I think we can forgive them if they have forgotten the stuff we worried about.
I'm not suggesting our kids have forgotten about the stuff we worry about. I'm saying that WE have shoved it down and buried like spent uranium that leaks radioactive isotope juice into the ground soil of our psyches. But hey, I'm sure you're fine.