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As far as the insight into my life goes, no one has ever mistaken me for an optimist, And yet, when I am in Croatia in recent years, my friends as well as casual acquaintances out-pessimist me every day, including Sunday. The inscription "no exit" must be prevailing over "no entrance" in their minds. So, no wonder, an email with the black humor by George Carlin was forwarded to me from a Croatian source. Two weeks ago it was, probably in memory of Carlin’s death (June 22, 2008). Carlin’s message is brilliant (see below), OK, but the introductory text of the email does an injustice to Carlin; it reads: "Isn't it amazing that George Carlin - comedian of the 70's and 80's - could write something so very eloquent and so very appropri- ate". No, it isn’t amazing. Anyone who knows George Carlin would expect no one else but him to write something so very eloquent and so very appropriate. He wasn’t just a comedian of the 70's and 80's.

George Carlin (1937 – 2008)

was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, satirist, actor and writer/author, who won five Grammy Awards for his comedy albums.

Carlin was noted for his black humor as well as his thoughts on politics, the English language, psychol- ogy, religion, and various taboo subjects. Carlin and his Seven Dirty Words comedy routine were central to the 1978 US Supreme Court case in which the justices affirmed the government's power to regulate indecent material on the public airwaves.

In 1997, his first hardcover book Brain Droppings was published; the book sold nearly 900 thousand copies and spent 40 weeks on the NY Times best-seller list. The first of his fourteen stand-up comedy specials for HBO was filmed in 1977. In 1988, the 1990s and 2000s, Carlin's routines focused on socio-cultural criticism of modern American society. He often commented on contemporary political issues in the United States and satirized the excesses of American culture. His final HBO special, It's Bad for Ya, was filmed less than four months before his death.

In 2004, Carlin placed second on the Comedy Central list of the 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time, ahead of Lenny Bruce and behind Richard Pryor. He was a frequent performer and guest host on The Tonight Show during the three-decade Johnny Carson era, and hosted the first episode of Saturday Night Live. In 2008, he was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.

a letter by George Catlin

 2012-07-08 

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A letter by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider freeways , but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life. We've added years to life not life to years. We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We've learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember, spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember to say ' I love you ' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

   

WEBSITE  EDITOR:
Krešimir J. Adamić