"Every New Year is the direct descendant, isn't it, of a long line of proven criminals?"

This quote by Ogden Nash is an amusing method of taking a look at the death of time. He is suggesting that each New Year is the direct descendant of the years that have actually come prior to it, and that all of these years have been filled with criminal activity. He is suggesting that the world is continuously in a state of turmoil and that each year brings more of the same. He is also suggesting that the cycle of criminal activity and turmoil is nonstop, and that the New Year is simply another link in the chain. By utilizing humor, Nash is making a declaration about the state of the world and how it is continuously in a state of flux. He is likewise recommending that we should take a minute to reflect on the past and think of how we can make the future better.