LOIS GREENE STONE - THESE OLD SAWS JUST DON'T CUT IT ANYMORE

Lois Greene Stone, writer and poet, has been syndicated worldwide. Poetry and personal essays have been included in hard & softcover book anthologies.  Collections of her personal items/ photos/ memorabilia are in major museums including twelve different divisions of The Smithsonian.

 

​            Those old saws just don't cut it anymore       
 
 
 
            Talk, talk, talk.  A phrase like 'a stitch in time saves nine', memorized to mold our lives, is outmoded today.  How many other adages are so non-21st century?
            Been a faithful subscriber to several magazines?  Have publishers rewarded your constant renewal?  Television commercials once marketed magazines and lured newcomers with freebies or big discounts but only if a subscription had lapsed; loyalty meant a long-term subscriber got nothing!
            So, being prompt, frugal, considerate, and future-oriented is contrary to our current way of life.  A "stitch in time" saved each magazine paperwork and none had to write up a new mailing label, but it didn’t produce presents.  Now, 2017, with fewer printed publications, little has changed.
            Throw in a 19th century philosopher like Emerson:  "The reward of a thing well done, is to have done it."  How would he have felt if he'd seen IBM's tenth anniversary personal computer ad, back in 1991, proclaiming  "But you get all the presents" if you now buy.  I bought their original 1981-PC for lots of money, no computer support groups, almost no software, and even got an IBM printer.  No one gave me gifts then, and IBM didn't offer any to its oldest (no pun intended) and faithful customers.  I purchased three more IBM PC's since '81 and never did get a thank-you note.  Same thing with the brand I purchased once IBM exited the personal computer market.  Sure, Emerson would’ve told me I was 'rewarded' with being a pioneer home-computer owner, but extra cash would have be nice as I continued to be brand-loyal.  Same now as I stick to familiar brand but have to change computers once again as my operating system isn’t compatible with much of anything.  The company has on its own computer that I have bought its desktops and printers since Windows 95 first started; why doesn’t it thank me with even a free reap of printer paper?
            Down with Puritanical "A penny saved is a penny earned" philosophy!  It's archaic and un-American.  It gives great self esteem, but no credit rating.  You can't get a loan without charge cards and debits.  Too risky.  Plastic makes perfect.
            Remember the video camcorder?  A "little knowledge is a dangerous thing."  Salespeople once insisted I go from bulky to 8mm size cassette as VHS or VHS-C would be obsolete.  "Remember Beta or old cars' 8 track tapes?" they reminded me.  Who converted 8mm tape into VHS format in order to play it on a VCR, that, today, is as outmoded as the Kodak Brownie camera.  "Buy American" helps the national economy, but Kodak exited the 8mm video camera market, then16mm film, then print photos.  Only "death and taxes" are guaranteed.  Kodak, once the biggest employer in Rochester, New York, is a shadow of a company and even few people use digital cameras since the smartphone in one’s pocket is a camera.
            We've all heard stores announce semi-annual promising, and that the next isn't due for six months.  Twelve days after our purchase, the item is 30% off.  Strike when what "iron-is-hot?"
            Airlines.  Call for flight information.  Get pressured.  "He who hesitates is lost." Coach seats are in short supply.  True there's cancellation or change-of-date penalties, but buying immediately guarantees when prices increase, and the operator assures they will, you won't pay a raise.  Well, "penny saved/ penny earned" jingles never noted who has use of our dollars for months prior to actual departure, and fare-wars start after our online purchase was processed.
            For a $200 penalty, I can change to the now-lowered price, which, of course, totals more because of the huge change-ticket-penalty; if I’d waited to buy at the last minute....  As for those people who have not given airlines use of their money in the form of totally-paid-for advance reservations with all the penalties for alteration attached, they might be rewarded with buying-last-minute savings on same seats.  Just like gifts magazines give to non-subscribers. 
            So, there's "no fool like an old fool."  Right?
 
 
 
updated, but first Published Opinion Page B-11, September 4, 1992, The Sacramento Bee newspaper, Sacramento, California.