Whited-Sepulchre

The Gilded Age was a time period in American history which took place from 1870-1900. The name of this period suggests that it was a wonderful time, Gilded meaning covered with gold. It makes it seem as though this time period was care free, rich, and full of hope for everyone. However this name was coined not for its honesty about the era but to jab at the lie of the era. It may have seemed like a grand period for some with the nation becoming the most industrialized country, advancing far ahead, and becoming wealthy, but this time period was rife with social issues caused by this.

Those in charge in this time period had huge power, while others suffered.

A movement that came about in this time period was the realist movement. While other movements idealized mankind and showed off the grandeur possible to us, this movement sought to strip away all the exaggerations and extra stuff that muddled reality. This time period was dangerous because if the rich who were running the factories and leading the charge of industrialization were left to paint the picture to the public people may have just gone with the status quo and not questioned. But because of the realist movement people were able to see what was really going on and take note of the social issues. Realism is an attempt to see things as they are. Its stripping off the gold from society and see its naked underbelly. Realism allows us to see the strengths and weaknesses of something and where something needs changing.

I think that the realist movement has incredibly important implications for everybody. It was all about seeing things how they really are. Its about breaking down the walls around something and dispelling illusions so that you can see the problems and fix them. Personally I needed to do this in my own life. Before I served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ I thought my life was going extremely well. I felt like I was in a place I wanted to be and loved where I was and what I was doing. I had idealized my situation, myself, and who I was with. It wasn't until I took a deeper look at myself and shed the safety net which blocked me from the problems I had that I realized I had crafted a ruse of a life. Applying realism, stripping away that ruse and moving on from my situation allowed me to tackle my problems head on and overcome them.


Matthew 23:27 "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness."

There is a danger in idealizing ourselves and mankind because we can miss the danger hiding beneath that shroud. 










https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilded_Age