Hello, my lovely readers!
Let me just ask you one thing before I go on about this topic: If you had the opportunity to travel through time and live in (or at least visit) a different era, which would you choose and why? Just think about it for a few minutes! Would you want to go back to the past and relive a period in time that you maybe think you had fitted in better? Would you want to change something? What historical events or movements would you want to experience first-hand? Do you find life today “boring” compared to some past time periods?
I’m sure you have met people you thought they did not fit into today’s society and time; maybe you even felt sometimes yourself this way. I have thought about all the questions above; keep on reading to learn about what my thoughts were.
First of all, I am in favour of social justice, the good in people and good behaviour. None of this is likely to be found in today’s society but more the opposite. I know that whichever era one imagines one can never find the ideal period when there were solid human rights and a humane society at the same time. Although this is the case, at least in the past there were all kinds (in my writing’s case) of good manners which people today seem to have forgotten. This is one of the reasons I wish to have lived in the 1920s to 1940s era. The past decades have brought innumerable social, cultural and technological advances. One that brings me the most joy is music. Jazz! Oh dear! It is a rhythmic flexibility that can be mind boggling using inventive ways of playing permutations, subdivisions and metric modulations that can go so far as to suggest another tempo against the ongoing pulse. It is also called “against the time” meaning that a polyrhythm is created by a musician playing a subdivision with such clarity and consistency that another pulse has been created. That is mind-blowing for people like me who are not talented enough to create music themselves but still have an ear for music. I am getting goosebumps just thinking about the rhythm, and imagining walking down the streets of New Orleans and hearing these fantastic sounds from every corner. The birthplace of jazz would have definitely been the residence for me. I simply love the architecture of this town, which is actually more European than American; much influenced by the distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture. For ordinary folks, material possessions were rather basic and elementary than sophisticated, and people were satisfied with what they had. Still I would have loved to be able to take my ‘Duesenberg’ for a ride ‘round town to spend some cash in a boutique with the latest fashion. (I cannot describe what is up with me and vintage things and feeling like we belong together.)
First of all, I am in favour of social justice, the good in people and good behaviour. None of this is likely to be found in today’s society but more the opposite. I know that whichever era one imagines one can never find the ideal period when there were solid human rights and a humane society at the same time. Although this is the case, at least in the past there were all kinds (in my writing’s case) of good manners which people today seem to have forgotten. This is one of the reasons I wish to have lived in the 1920s to 1940s era. The past decades have brought innumerable social, cultural and technological advances. One that brings me the most joy is music. Jazz! Oh dear! It is a rhythmic flexibility that can be mind boggling using inventive ways of playing permutations, subdivisions and metric modulations that can go so far as to suggest another tempo against the ongoing pulse. It is also called “against the time” meaning that a polyrhythm is created by a musician playing a subdivision with such clarity and consistency that another pulse has been created. That is mind-blowing for people like me who are not talented enough to create music themselves but still have an ear for music. I am getting goosebumps just thinking about the rhythm, and imagining walking down the streets of New Orleans and hearing these fantastic sounds from every corner. The birthplace of jazz would have definitely been the residence for me. I simply love the architecture of this town, which is actually more European than American; much influenced by the distinct French and Spanish Creole architecture. For ordinary folks, material possessions were rather basic and elementary than sophisticated, and people were satisfied with what they had. Still I would have loved to be able to take my ‘Duesenberg’ for a ride ‘round town to spend some cash in a boutique with the latest fashion. (I cannot describe what is up with me and vintage things and feeling like we belong together.)
Furthermore, there were some historical events that I would have been experiencing first-handed. Some good ones and some bad of course.
· For instance August 18, 1920. The 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gave women the rights to vote. Women started from the 19th century all the way to 1920, to finally seek victory. Women marched, lectured, fought, wrote, did everything that they could to make this come true, and it worked. After years of hard work, it paid off because they got what they were dreaming for all along. The 15th Amendment was passed, allowing African Americans to vote, and from that point on, women haven't given up.
· March 3, 1920: The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement first known as the "New Negro Movement" which was named about Alain Locke. The Harlem Renaissance influenced French-speaking black writers and Caribbean colonies. The majority of the Harlem Renaissance was African Americans who were enslaved and now living in the South. A huge contributor was Langston Hughes, and the Harlem Renaissance is still influencing many people.
· November 4, 1922, the tomb of King Tutankhamun was discovered in the Valley of Kings, after 5 years of diligent work the tomb was discovered. Near the base of the tomb of Rameses VI, one of Howard Carter's workmen found a hidden step. He didn't just find a normal ancient Egyptian tomb, but the tomb laid there undisturbed for more than 3,000 years. King Pharoah Tutankhamun was found inside his tomb, after a whole 3,000 years!
· November 18, 1928: The debut of Mickey Mouse was in the cartoon Steamboat Willie in New York. Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks worked together to co-direct the cartoon Steamboat Willie. The show was intended as a parody Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill Jr. which was released on May 12, 1928. It was the third cartoon that Mickey was in, but the first official one that he was in. These films were black and white, until 1935 where they were showed in color. Most of the films he started in were short.
· 29 October 1929: On Black Thursday, a drop of stock prices triggered, putting everyone is a panic that was uncontrollable. Then later on October 29, on Black Tuesday, the panic of October 24 turned into "bedlam on the trading floor". Because of this major drop in the stock, everyone was in a huge struggle. All throughout the weekend, sleepy clerks worked and worked to get the accounts in shape for Monday's opening. Times Index fell from 367.42 to 318.29, 9,212,800 stocks were shared.
· March 12, 1930: Gandhi started a salt march because India needed to be freed from British control, and in order to do so Gandhi proposed a march protesting British Salt Tax. The Salt Tax made it illegal to produce or sell salt, helping British. In India, many people were affected because salt was a big impact on the everyday lives of the people of India. The journey took 23 days, from March 12 to April 5. Gandhi picked up a lump of salt, broke a law, and a month later got put in prison.
· September 24, 1936: The Cotton Club Grand Opening. Basically, the Cotton Club was a jazz music night club which was located in Harlem of New York City from the years 1923 to 1940, but it became famous on the day of September 24, 1936, and everyone enjoyed the place for another four years. Today there is a new incarnation, and it is located on West 125th St. The club first started out as a white-only club, but as black entertainers came and entertained people, blacks took over and made the night club more lively and better.
· September 1, 1939: World War II or the Second World War began on September 1, 1939 and ended on September 2, 1945, making it a six-year, and one-day war. This was one of the bloodiest wars, because from 40 million to 50 million deaths were recorded. The War was between the Axis (Germany, Austria, Italy and Japan) on the one hand, and the Allies (Canada, India, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Rhodesia, Jamaica, British etc.) The outcome was that the Allies beat the Axis. This was the most widespread war.
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Obviously every generation has to carry their own cross, meaning that we have to suffer inconveniences that are in front of us right here, right now. Nonetheless, I find that past times were more exciting than they are today, even if we have plenty of goods to keep us occupied so we are not bored and uninvolved. But the real question is, does it contribute to social or cultural advances? There is no doubt that it contributes to the advancement of technology, but frankly I could live without it all. Also, more than before you never see smiling faces. Nobody ever says ‘hello’. In the past, children enjoyed the our-doors even into the night. Now it is not even safe for adults to leave the house after dark. Our generation has not done one thing to better our world. It is hard to dream about differences I would want to make in the past if I had lived then, when our society closes their eyes and minds to every inhumane and unnatural action. So my dream just stays a dream.
“I still have a dream, a dream deeply rooted in the American dream – one day this nation will rise up and live up to its creed, "We hold these truths to be self evident: that all men are created equal." I have a dream...“Martin Luther King, Jr. (1963)
Have a look at this video:
Somehow it warms my heart when I hear this music associated with these old motion pictures.
Disney's depiction of New Orleans's streets
New Orleans at night
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