Everyday Canvas

Lady Mary’s Pearls

Prompt: "The world moves on and we must move with it." Lady Mary, Downton Abbey Do you agree?

--------------

First episode of Downton Abbey’s fifth season is still in my DVD and I haven’t watched it, yet. So I can’t tell in what context dear Lady Mary spewed her pearls.

Taking the sentence in its own merit, I think, we are always moving whether we like it or not, as the planet we are on is moving around inside the solar system, which I suspect is also moving in some way. This, however, is the physicality of movement. I doubt we can move as fast as the rate all events pop up in our lives.

When we take the word “world” in its metaphoric meaning, it is impossible to move with everything going on. Sometimes, it is even to our benefit to sit back and watch the events unfold, and then act accordingly. Being bold and being cautious both have their advantages, if we know to choose which for any event.

As to Lady Mary’s choices, for what I recall of her much earlier past, she has been quite thoughtless and rash. Remember Mr. Pamuk? It fell to other people to clean up after her deed. So her movements haven’t always been healthy. For that reason alone, I hesitate to agree with her fully, as these words of hers carry a syllogistic fallacy, as moving with the times is never an option, but an imposition on us poor earthlings.

Let us face the fact that, today, we are in the electronic revolution. Those of us who don’t at least learn the minimal amount of handling gadgets and computers will lag behind and will be dependent on the goodwill of those who do. I am guessing it was the same with Lady Mary’s time when the first seeds of sexual revolution through dress and manners were being sewn and the changing attitudes as to ideas such as fascism and Marxism were taking root inside the common British thought. It is, therefore, understandable for her to want to move with the times.

As the times are imposed upon us, we have to move with the times, yes, but this should not be in a reckless fashion, but with the full understanding of the changes and in a way not to jeopardize our own welfare and peace of mind.