NEW AND IMPROVED......or..........JUST LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE
How many times have you heard or seen the phrase "New and Improved" written or said about some product that you use daily? So many times I hear a company use that phrase, only to find out I liked the old version better. Just once......I mean just one time, I want to hear a company spokesperson say..... Well we tried to make it better but through our research, we found it better to just,,,,,,, are you ready for this........"To just leave well enough alone." Coca Cola tried what they called "New Coke" a few years back and found they were wrong when no one liked the "New Coke", and then they told us they were going back to the old recipe. Old recipe ?????? I say "Hog Wash". I tell you the Coke you buy today doesn't taste like Coke did when I was a kid. They should have just left "well enough alone" in the first place. Coke talks about their secret formula that is hidden away somewhere in a bank vault and only one or two people have access to this secret formula to which once again I say "Hog Wash". It's a good story but they haven't used that secret formula in years so it makes me wonder if anyone knows in what bank the vault is located.
And before you jump on me for picking on Coca Cola, let me assure you that I love the Coca Cola Company. I started collecting Coke memorabilia when I was a teenager. I guess I'm just tired of us trying to improve everything, just to find out later, we had it right to start with. Do you remember drinking an Orange Crush Soda in those dark brown bottles. When they went to clear bottles, it never tasted the same. I always wondered if there was a secret ingredient hidden from eyesight in those dark brown bottles that was removed from Orange Crush when they went to clear bottles. And Chocolate milk..... Remember how sweet and thick in was when it came in those little glass bottles. Then it was decided to "New and Improved" it and put in plastic jugs and those wax covered paper cartons and chocolate milk has never tasted the same since. Or how about Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I think they must have changed the brand of peanut butter they use. I know they still have some of the old peanut butter on hand because they use it in the Reese's Eggs at Easter. I can taste the difference so I buy extras and freeze them to eat later. I could go on and on about the "New and Improved" foods. Like Burger King French Fries. I use to never want anything else to eat but those fries. Even the Varsity has gone to "New and Improved" and I lust for an old timey Glorified Hamburger. I'm sure they are different today. They don't taste the same.
And it's not just the food. We've improved our landmarks and parks until we've ruined them. I liked Stone Mountain much more when it was just a big rock in the middle of the woods. Back then our entertainment was just climbing the big rock and sharing time with our friends. Then the State decided to "New and Improve" the big rock... And I remember going to Piedmont Park to play a round of golf or touch football with friends and later on to listen to free concerts by The Almond Brothers Band. Then the city improved it by having Big Events and Festivals...... I don't know...... I just liked it better when we didn't depend on others for our entertainment..... We entertained ourselves.
And how about our "New and Improved" transportation. When I was a kid we had Street Cars or Trolley Buses everywhere. Then it was decided they weren't a good form of transportation so they removed all the overhead electric lines and paved over or dug up the tracks and now years later we have spent millions to replace a streetcar line that goes just over two and a half miles. Back in my days we didn't have Marta. We had Atlanta Transit Company which was first owned by Georgia Power and Later by a group of Atlanta businessmen. You could ride anywhere in Atlanta for 5 cents then, but the big difference between Marta (which is Government operated) and the Atlanta Transit Company (which was owned by the private segment) is that Atlanta Transit made money. Hmmmmm "New and Improved"...... Again "Hog Wash". As I was thinking back I went all the way back to I believe second grade at Kirkwood Grammar School. I believe my teachers name was Mrs Milligan (correct me if I'm Wrong) and we went on what has always been my favorite school field trip. We boarded the famous train, "The Nancy Hanks", and took a ride to Griffin Ga. Oh what a thrill that was. Others tried "New and Improved" field trips but that train ride has remained the best ever for me.
We have tried to improve revivals by moving them from tents to inside gigantic coliseums and we tried to improve the circus by doing the same. We tried to replace the cane pole with an electric reel on a fiberglass rod and some people think video games are an improvement over hide and seek at dusk and catching lightning bugs in a fruit jar.
And what about government????? Is it also "New and Improved"? I remember when our Constitution meant something. When our elected officials served their constituents instead of their party. I remember when a new law was passed because it was the right thing to do and not because it would raise more in taxes. I remember when prayer was in schools and the teachers were respected by the students and the parents.
I remember when you would receive a hand written thank you note for a gift and not an E-mail. And when you wanted to talk to someone you would call them on the phone or better yet go over to their house for a visit. And what is all this computer dating and speed dating stuff? What ever happened to a movie and a burger or just riding around and getting to know each other?? And we wonder why the divorce rate is up. "NEW and IMPROVED"...........................I think not.................
I like some of these new fangled things we have today but "New and Improved????
I'm not so sure......... Sometimes I believe it's better to ...."Just leave well enough alone"......................................
