This morning, after reading about the history of why the black cat is considered bad luck, I started to wonder about things.
Black Cats: In ancient Egypt, cats were regarded as spiritual creatures, and among the most exalted Goddesses was Bast, a black female cat. But in European culture, the black cat became an animal to avoid. Apparently in the Middle Ages, when ignorant peasants were convinced that witches and evil demons were living among them, cats were singled out as suspicious creatures (perhaps because of their silent, fluid movements, or the way they stare, or even their occasionally unworldly wailing). The fact that some of the woem who cared for the cats were old and grizzled
– i.e., witch material –probably added to the legend. Ultimately, people came to believe that a black cat was the nighttime embodiment of a witch.
Witches.
We used to burn women because another person decided that they were indeed a witch. There were never any tests run. Most of the time they didn’t even ask the young woman, “Hey, are you a witch? Do something magical and prove it.” They would just burn them or beat them or chain them up in some damp dungeon. (Actually, I made that last bit up entirely. I have no idea if this was done, but it’s what I pictured.) Sometimes, it took as little as a woman having red hair. (I’d be toast.)
At one time we thought the world was flat. To suggest otherwise, was just pure insanity. And so, a group of men from Spain decided to send some goofy bastard out to decide once and for all. While on his journey, he lands upon the the shores of an eventual America, and decides to take over a section of the world that was totally inhabited by another group of people.
At one time we thought gremlins were the cause of illness and if it wasn’t their fault, demons took the rap.
I have had these thoughts before, and I think I have even written about it before, but what I wonder is what could we be doing right now that the kids of our kids or their kids will find totally and completely bat shit crazy. It occurred to me recently we once believe slavery was A-OK. Slavery, dude. That’s insane. It’s hard to believe that not long ago, Americans deemed it acceptable to put another human being to work much like one might any animal. That blows my mind a little bit. It wasn’t even that long ago.
How will it be in 30, 40, 50 years. How will our children’s children feel about nuclear bombs? Speaking in tongues? Fast food? Strip malls? Gasoline? How will they feel about people who blow themselves up because someone told them that if they carry out an act of Allah, they will experience an eternal paradise. How will they feel about the way we bury our dead? Gay marriage? Polygamy? Abortion? How will they feel about slaughterhouses and the way we treated our animals? How will they feel about public schools, reality television, and Tom Cruise. How will they feel about prayer, two political parties and Cuba.
If you might speculate on what might in the future be deemed as totally preposterous, what might that be?


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