I am one of the lucky ones who grew up in the neighborhood of old you described. One feature of that ear was the cohesive and protective nature of the culture. This protection gave us the confidence to explore, be that a ten mile hike for Scouting or a spontaneous fort building in the nearby woods.
As the sixties closed, the center failed to hold. Television programs created false contexts and provided solutions, replacing the wisdom of parents. By the dawn of the seventies,twenty percent of my high school classmates remained seated during the Pledge. When the center falls apart, children are impacted first. They become fearful and are less likely to join sports or Scouts as these organizations were pilloried in the wider culture.
I have a simple proposal for those who want to engage with the world beyond the screen: Turn your phone off this Sunday. Sure, carry it along like Linus’ blanket, but turn it off. It’s an amazing country we live in. And it’s all right outside our door.
Your observations and proposal are excellent. I completely agree.
Many people have combined the seclusion of monks with the worship of objects and have overlooked the need to connect with others. Unless our society makes a turnaround, the seclusion is likely to worsen as robots take the place of companions.
Michael,
I am one of the lucky ones who grew up in the neighborhood of old you described. One feature of that ear was the cohesive and protective nature of the culture. This protection gave us the confidence to explore, be that a ten mile hike for Scouting or a spontaneous fort building in the nearby woods.
As the sixties closed, the center failed to hold. Television programs created false contexts and provided solutions, replacing the wisdom of parents. By the dawn of the seventies,twenty percent of my high school classmates remained seated during the Pledge. When the center falls apart, children are impacted first. They become fearful and are less likely to join sports or Scouts as these organizations were pilloried in the wider culture.
I have a simple proposal for those who want to engage with the world beyond the screen: Turn your phone off this Sunday. Sure, carry it along like Linus’ blanket, but turn it off. It’s an amazing country we live in. And it’s all right outside our door.
Respectfully,
Douglas
Douglas,
Your observations and proposal are excellent. I completely agree.
Many people have combined the seclusion of monks with the worship of objects and have overlooked the need to connect with others. Unless our society makes a turnaround, the seclusion is likely to worsen as robots take the place of companions.
Our society needs to rediscover the genuine.
Best regards,
Michael