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The market didn't leave. The People did.

By Joe Renna

The Peterstown outdoor market is a great example of how things change. It is an easy target to point to when people pontificate about the way things were. The opinion that the past was better than the present is ridiculous. The dogmatic way these opinions are expressed is irritating. The market has not disappeared. People who miss it just aren't around.

Cultural traditions subside with each generation. Traditional meals are no longer prepared. In most homes, the role of the of home maker has changed. More women in the work place left fewer in the home. Preparing a fresh, healthy dinner on a nightly basis was one of the trade offs for that second income.

Priorities seemed to have flipped. Money, or should I say possessions, have taken over the top of the list. A bigger house on a larger piece of land was purchased with the time needed to enjoy them. Dining on a veranda is great but not if your eating Perdue Chicken Burgers and Betty Crocker Mashed Potatoes.

Upper mobility demands a fast pace. Runners must pay attention to the constant tread. It is no wonder that when it is time to reflect they often hearken back to days of old. They have failed to create their own days.

What will the children of today reminisce about thirty years from now? Suburban developments have limits to size and population. Children's experiences are limited to a few controlled environments and relationships are selective. Consider: pre-care, day-care, after care, Nintendo; even recreation is structured through play groups and organized sports.

What made the Elizabeth Market special was the diversity of cultures and the volume of people. It was a microcosm of the neighborhood and it represented a way of life. One that must be experienced and could not be bought. It was the number of people that made the market grand but it was the individuals that made it great.

Pinning for the past is an indictment of your own failure to create a community that you are proud of. If your life is not rich in the virtues you desire then shame on you.

It is a curse on the next generation if their value system is manufactured. Life's lessons are learned by dealing with people. The more people the better and the more diverse the people, the better yet.
This generation was spoiled by the previous ones. The life style we enjoyed as children was created by them. Now it is our responsibility to do the same for our own children and all I hear are complaints that things are like what they used to be.