Face Global - Blog of an Artist

Writen by David Stern.
Home
Add to Favorites
david@davidstern.co.il

RSS Feed

Link Exchange
Facebook
Google Groups
Twitter
Digg

The End of a Decade

Recently, there are media that are summarizing the last decade. They say that the first decade of the 21st century is over. It reminds me of the end of 1999, when the media summarized the 90's, the 20^th century and the 2^nd millennium.

I think the timing is wrong. Is a decade defined between the years 2000 – 2009? I think it is supposed to be 2001 – 2010, meaning that the summaries are supposed to take place next year. In the same way, the 20th century wasn't 1900 – 1999, but 1901 – 2000, and the 21st century is supposed to be 2001 – 2100.

Do you usually count from 0 to 9 or from 1 to 10? When humans count (years in this case), they usually start from one, not from zero. That's unless you're a computer programmer, but that's a different story.

So, what did we have in the last decade, anyway? Did all of us get used to the fact a new century has begun? I got used to it a long time ago. In fact, I got used to it already in the nineties. The cold war, which I studied about in history lessons, was over. Europe was not divided anymore to east and west. The weakening of the Soviet Union's influence and the Gulf War revealed to us a new political map.

Al-Qaeda has attacked several American targets already in the nineties, but got its fame on September 11th, 2001. The events on that day influenced the whole decade, and the influence will probably last in the future. Since, the United States seemed weaker than it used to be. Countries in Western Europe such as France and Germany, that were saved by the United States from dictatorship in WW2 and were supported by it in the cold war, didn't blindly follow the US in its war against the Evil Axis dictatorships.

In the economy – the European Union is getting stronger, especially with its new currency, the Euro, and so are the economies of countries like China and India.

The internet has grown and expanded. It has become more worldwide, and America isn't the center of it any more. It made the world a lot smaller. The internet made an affect on commerce, culture, society, communication and the media.

I prefer not to predict the future, but to believe that all the options are possible. I want to believe that the world will be a better place, and that all people, from all races, religions and ethnicities, will live in wealth and peace.

December 20^th, 2009.

Comments:
Add Comment

Recent Posts:

Late at Night , Poll: Transportation Habits , Different Types of Strength , RSS - Really Simple Syndication , The History of My Website , Scenes of Modiin , Israel's Disproportionate Response , Israeli Troops Invade Gaza , Hamas, Egypt clash across sealed border; 1 dead , Happy , Avatar Meeting Ender's Game , The End of a Decade , The Holiday of Lights and Calories , World Climate , Gilad Shalit , How I Compose my Music , Lets Have Fun , A Little Help from My Friends , Utopia Orchid Park , Israel Detains Ship Loaded with Weapons , Six Reasons Why It's Worth Living in Israel , The Weirdest Dog I Have Ever Seen , I'm Tigger (I feel Like Bouncing) , You and the Media , No Balance , Swine Flu , Ha-Tesha , Poll: You and the Media , Sardinia, Corsica and Rome , Getting the Whole Picture , The True Value of Money , Cat and Mouse , Current Events in Iran , Harry Potter , Michael Jackson , Drift , America Photos , Illegal Downloading of Music , Staying Updated , Back to the Future , Varna Dolphinarium , Varna, Bulgaria , Catalunya, Spain , Separating , Conflicts , Between Passover and the Holocaust Memorial Day , From Slavery to Freedom , Electronic Blues , Bental Mountain , Ahuzat Bar , Passing the Tests , War Against Iraq (Super Idiot) , Madagascar: Lord of the Flies, the Entertaining Version , Citizen Kane Strikes Back , Go East , Elections in Israel , 42nd , Human Rights in Gaza , Operation Cast Lead , Memory , The True Statistics , Five Tips for Good Photographing , New Voyage , Clown in a Circus , Crete Photos , The World From My Perspective , Passacaglia , More Photos from Israel , Ireland , Nothing to Say , Breakdown , Poll: Who are you? , Wall-E , Prelude , The Negev and the Dead Sea on Bike , Tel Aviv Photos , Red , Risk , Crater Lake , June , Conversation , Beauty and Size