The Soaring Twenties

Hilda Annie Elizabeth Bilsdon was born in the spring of 1902 and would have been my Great Aunt had she not succumbed to the Spanish Flu in November 1918, aged just 16. The Great Pandemic along with the Great War combined to kill 70 million people around the world, 5% of the global population. By 1921 in the United States there was a resurgence in white supremacy movements infamously culminating with the Tulsa race massacre. Back then, as now, there was not a whole lot to be optimistic about. But in times of great adversity, humanity finds ways to overcome. The League of Nations was formed, pledging to end wars, the women's suffrage movement was making waves and the "flapper" girls symbolized the newfound economic and social liberation for women. The roaring twenties were in full swing with modernism overpowering traditionalism and with all that, my grandmother, Christabel, was a fashion model and courting Hilda's surviving younger brother, Alec Bilsdon.

So here we are, January 2021. As individuals, businesses, communities, and countries, we have some choices to make. Do we want to fall victim to divisiveness, xenophobia, and cultural cynicism or do we want to open our eyes, our minds, and our hearts to the endless possibilities within our grasp? We are on the brink of a new era of modernism with artificial intelligence, robotics, renewable energy, and biotechnology all capable of not just transforming the lives of the privileged few, but for all people around the world, while being kinder to our planet too. These could be the "Soaring Twenties", unparalleled economic prosperity in harmony with social equity, sustainability, and political stability.

But let us not forget the history of "boom to bust" economics. The Roaring Twenties led to the stock market crash, the great depression, the rise of Nazism, and the Second World War. As it transpired and despite its ideals, The League of Nations failed to prevent war, and even the United Nations that followed it, is struggling to inspire its members to work towards "peace, dignity, and equality on a healthy planet".

The Soaring Twenties will not be defined by governments or NGOs, it will be down to me, you, and the man and woman next to you. If we can learn to trust and believe in one another again, learn to share and collaborate, to include everyone, and to be fairer and kinder, then we can soar and soar to heights we never thought possible. I believe that work is the answer, and through the work we do every single day we can inspire others to achieve greatness and not to the disadvantage of others, but to the benefit of all.

On this day of service and in memory of Martin Luther King Jr. perhaps we can reflect on his most prophetic of words, "We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now." Let's work to make a difference.