We might all have our own way of considering the year just passed. Staying in bed might be one way – although getting into this bunk bed might cause some sleepless nights. We could, in the old days, look back at the photographic album – now the Cloud. But one way might be to remove the subjectivity and consider what everyone was searching for? For that we can use Google Trends – alternative search engines also exist. All results relate to the UK.
Questions that we have asked
5 When will I get the vaccine?
It seems to indicate that we ‘need’ the use of our preferred social media giant to communicate. We didn’t see whether the Church was concerned with the introduction of Zoom, YouTube etc. Then we get an aspiration, a desire for normality, before seeking some facts. The COP26 presence was also recorded here.
News Events
5 GME
That desire to have the vaccine, or as we may have heard more recently, the desire to critique the science often without peer reviewed evidence, behind the vaccine appears to be favourite search option; however, two stories about (1) a Government minister who was caught not following the rules and (2) Sarah Everard, who was killed in London in March, also dominate the listings. The travesty of the overthrow of the ruling Government in Afghanistan only comes fourth. Reports today suggest that $4.4B may be required to stave off abject hunger for the people of Afghanistan, when $1000B was spent on the war. GME is a stock fund for an American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer.
People
5. Alec Baldwin
Christian Eriksen was in the news during the delayed Euro 2020 football competition when he collapsed during the game.
but the tears in their eyes made it clear that something awful had happened to him.
It’s great news that he survived. Christian Eriksen has now signed the termination of the contract with Inter, given that the regulations of Italian football do not allow players with a subcutaneous defibrillator, and is reflecting on a possible new adventure as a player, perhaps at home with Odense. Another sporting star also made the searches this year. This Tennis progeny, Emma Radukanu, emerged from the tennis tramlines and made people watch or listen to the tennis in the early hours as she won the US Open; she is now No 19 in the world listing.
Definitions
The search to clarify definitions results in some interesting finds. The Post-Trump Presidential term has been dogged by the ongoing and very slow proceedings to find the evidence of the 6 Jan attack on the Congress. We have had the debate whether the Foreign Secretary now Justice Secretary, but ongoing Deputy Prime Minister, really did mean to say that misogyny was about critiquing men and women. Finally COP26 and Woke make an appearance. It would still seem that Woke is a term which has yet to gain widespread understanding but is used often as a form of criticism.
Bible Searches
1. Is masturbation a sin in the Bible
2. Vacation Bible School Lyrics
3. the hunt for Bible John
=4. Salome Bible
= 4. Gender Dysphoria Bible
Is this a link to the ongoing discussion about same sex marriage?, one that has been resolved by Conference in 2021 within Methodism. Not sure where the lyrics thread comes from, but the origin and timeline for the Gospels has been one thing we have discussed at our own church Bible Studies. It gives us a context, a starting and reference point why the author(s) may have such a perspective. The graph above shows that searches for “Bible” haven’t changed much in the last 20 years, but have in the past 2 years. Is this a brief aberration or the start of a steady decline?
What words or acronyms would you use to characterise 2021?
Would it be LFT, or hybrid: why not add your choice in the comments?
Have a safe New Years and may we see a fresh light on the horizon, one in which we may bring hope to each other. We may seek normality, that past which we so loved, but that is in the past. Our grandparents would not have recognised all that we encounter today, and now should we expect it to remain as it was. This new light will bring us to the future – there is nothing else. Blessings and my prayers for 2022 – which isn’t 2020 too.
I found the dialogue interesting