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The new millennium was greeted with excitement, fear, and dreamlike optimism. The initial mass-feared computer crash did not happen and the world did not end. However, America and the world would quickly change in the darkest of ways. On September 11, 2001, freedom was attacked for the first time on American soil by radical Afghan terrorists. With multiple hijacked passenger planes used as missiles, they managed to bring down the Twin Towers in New York City, severely damage the Pentagon in Washington DC, and ultimately inject a mass rage, panic, and patriotism in the nation that was never before seen or felt. In response, America and its allies launched an all-out war against Afghanistan, and eventually Iraq, that would end up lasting 20 years and would go on to become the longest war in American history.

 

While war raged in the Middle East, breakthrough lifestyle technology was being swiftly developed and introduced to the mass public. Steve Jobs and his teams at Apple would spearhead a new renaissance of revolutionary consumer gadgets (iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad) that would go on to change daily life, the economy, and eventually the world. Digital and virtual engagement was quickly becoming the new norm. Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok would change the dialogue of news organizations, information gathering, socializing, and communication in general. The long running and charming experience of brick and mortar stores, that America was built on, began to erode. Staple stores like Toys R Us, KB Toys, Blockbuster, Tower Records, and many others, all found it impossible to stay afloat in this new online and virtual way of life. The arts and entertainment industry would also take a drastic turn in the 2000s… 

 

Corporations and profit-obsessed executives began taking over the creative reigns and entertainment output and started severely limiting artists and fresh ideas. Shareholders, market research, and the bottom line was now at the new center of existence. For the first time in modern history, artists were no longer the leaders of culture. Corporations, algorithms, tech guys, reality stars, talk show hosts, and politicians now assumed the mantle of running and influencing the culture.

 

In consequence, society at large has seen, in the last 20 years of the millennium, an alarming drop in harmony, creativity, education, attention span, work ethic, and inspiring passion, and a dangerous spike in isolation, violence, theft, porn, drug addiction, suicide, mass shootings, political divide, racism, hatred, mental illness, incompetence, confusion, and vanity. 

 

Only time will tell where modern civilization goes from here. 

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"No Time for Love Like Now" 

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Note to Visitors

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This is a digital experience/reflection and does not have a physical room to tour at the museum.

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