Buffalo is the second largest city in the state of New York. Being on the eastern end of Lake Erie some winters it is subject to tremendous snow falls that are called “lake effect” snowfall. At one time Buffalo was enormously wealthy. So it has some of the nicest museums anywhere, including a fantastic art museum. But the city is basically dead now. During my lifetime the population has fallen by 50% - one half!
I have scuba dived in the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean and several locations in Europe. Also in Lake Erie. Surprisingly the water in Lake Erie is clearer and has greater visibility than anywhere else I have ever dived.
Detroit, Michigan is located on the far western end of Lake Erie. It is also a dynamic and world famous city. During the last 50 years it gained fame for automobile manufacturing and as the home of Motown music. Detroit also is in the process of dying. Just like Buffalo, since 1950 the population of Detroit has fallen by 50%.
People have life cycles. They are born, they go though adolescence then their teen years. They get married and raise children, and then start the gradual decline through middle age, old age, and finally death.
Companies, cultures, empires, and countries also have life cycles. The American automobile industry that has been based upon manufacturing big, heavy, high powered, low fuel economy vehicles is nearing the end of its life cycle. VW, BMW, and Daimler also have fallen into the trap of increasingly bigger and more powerful cars, and they too are suffering mightily.
Funerals are normally sad occasions, but death is a normal part of the program for all individuals. A little bit of nostalgia from time-to-time is fine. And knowing about history is essential if one of going to learn from past mistakes and successes.
But it is normally best to be looking forward rather than looking backwards or living in the past.
In the 1960s we thought we were entering the green or environmentally sound era. It didn’t happen. But now that the hippies of the 60’s have gotten grey headed and are in their sixties they have a certain amount of societal power. And almost 50 years late(r) we are now seeing the beginning of the end of a lifestyle based upon burning large amounts of fossil fuels.
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