Once again, history repeats.

Ushered in by birth control, the 60s through the 70s was the era of “Free Love,” until in the 80s when innocence was lost to the HIV epidemic.

Fast forward to the 00s when Facebook, taking advantage of computers, cell phones and the internet, ushered in a new era: one in which people could establish social connections and physical relationships with others easily anywhere on the planet. Our recently enjoyed era of “Connection” innocence is now being lost to socio-political dis-integration, spearheaded by the appearance of Covid 19. At least for now, no more physical amassing together to enjoy the rush of the crowd.

The sad thing is that with each loss of innocence comes new, pragmatic responsibilities, and, once lost, such innocence can’t be entirely recaptured. Even sadder, with an ever shortening attention span, I fear it likely that society will not only forget the individual joy of the era of being part of a mass physical gathering, but we will both lose interest in and almost as quickly become unable to recall what it actually felt like to live “back then/now.”

If so, then what’s next? In my newest work, “The Edge of Madness,” currently in editing for publication by Aignos Publishing (an imprint of Savant Books and Publications), I explore the possibility and implications of a new era in which humanity becomes enamored with individuality and isolation, a harbinger of traveling into space, establishing orbital settlements and colonizing other planets. After all how does one go shopping, go to university or hospital, or gather information when the mass organizations these depend on no longer exist? In a twist of fate, perhaps it the end of one era that catapults humanity, willing or unwilling, rejoicing or cursing, into the next?