I was born in 1950, before the development of the polio vaccine, long before the introduction of the measles vaccine, before jet airliners were introduced into regular passenger service, and a time when racial segregation was the accepted practice across much of the USA. I, and the rest of my generation, have witnessed so many wonderful accomplishments in our lifetime. I’ve lived most of my life believing that humanity was on a course of steady discovery, compassion, and enhancements to the quality of life, and that this course would continue for many, many generations to come. Since January 20th, 2025, I have gradually come to think that my 75 years on Earth have been exceptional, and that future generations will suffer through a decline of the things that have made this period unique.
I don’t deny that woven within the threads of progress have been setbacks inspired by superstition, ignorance, greed, resentment, and hatred, but we continued to make progress in spite of these. It is true that pockets of our population refused to accept the advances of medical science, technology, and the practice of human decency, but we have continued to move forward nevertheless. Polio and measles were virtually eliminated, and energy-saving technologies were implemented. We went from having to hear a telephone operator ask “number please” to being able to almost instantly communicate with anyone anywhere in the world through the internet. We now enjoy the friendship, leadership, intelligence, and wisdom of fellow humans of all races, religions, genders, and ethnicities. Women stand side-by-side with men in the workforce, in professional roles, in positions of leadership and expertise. We have come to accept and appreciate the complexities of gender identity and sexual preference. An increasing segment of our population refuses to accept hostility and war as the norm for settling conflicts.
Although the civil rights movement has brought out the best and the worst of our citizens, and the dream of full equality is a constant struggle, we have made so much progress over the past seventy-five years. Although technological advances have created serious environmental challenges, we have recognized these challenges and have worked to overcome them. Horrible wars continue across the planet, but the call for peace cries out from every country. But now our country has elected leaders who are taking us back to the 1950s.
Distain for vaccines, denial that people of all races and economic levels deserve equal access to opportunities and privileges, and the attacks on scientific advances in medicine, transportation, energy, and communication are hallmarks of Donald Trump and his administration. Republicans in the Senate, House of Representatives, and the judicial system are either working to reverse the accomplishments so many of us regard with pride, or standing by passively to allow this to happen. None of this is news to anyone who has been paying attention. The question is whether or not we can resist, overcome, and reverse these trends.
I no longer believe that Trump is just a glitch in what I thought was the inevitable, enlightened course of history. I fear that we are on the brink of a long and horrible dark age where the negative underlying forces that were kept at bay during the years between 1950 and 2025 are now emerging to take control. I have less than one quarter of my life remaining. I don’t want to live out the rest of my days under the shadow of Donald Trump and his destructive vision (or dangerous, chaotic impulsivity). There is some hope that the 2026 elections with replace the negative forces in Congress, but that is not at all certain. And even if it does, how long with it take to restore belief in medical science, funding for technological research, respect for human diversity, rejection of aggression, hostility and hatred, and a commitment to maintain a clean and healthy environment?