I think most folks will agree that America has become more divided within the last four years, perhaps even more so than during the Civil War. Of course, we’ve not seen that level of physical violence, although many believed it was on the horizon (and still might be). The four long years under soon to be ex-President Donald J. Trump challenged the very concept of social civility, decency, and respect for our fellow human beings.
While the division into certain “tribes” had been going on long before Trump entered the picture, his rise to power saw an acceleration in “tribalism” that’s broken families, friendships, and in some cases even cost people their jobs.
However, Trump’s rise was not something unforeseen. In fact, you can go back through history and find many who warned about such a person rising to power. Of course, it would be impossible for anyone to imagine the degree of obscenity that was Trump’s presidency.
But, in the 1960’s Rod Sterling, host of The Twilight Show, did give us a sobering warning about the possibility of such a character taking power in America following an episode called “The Obsolete Man.” The premise featured a bleak dystopian future, but it was Sterling’s warning that still sends chills down my spine. You can watch it in the video below.
Rod Sterling was a progressive thinker well ahead of his times who doesn’t get the credit he deserves. While he would have undoubtedly been appalled by Trump, it’s clear that he would not have been entirely surprised. Please be sure to share Sterling’s message with your friends and family, and hopefully, we won’t repeat the same mistake in the future.
