From The World Of Parks & Recreation
By Doug Comer
We have found ourselves engulfed in a world where technology has taken over our lives. From cell phones to computers, everyone is spending time downloading the newest version of Candy Crush on the iPad or playing the new NBA 2K16 on their X-Box One. And it has affected everyone between the ages 2-to-99 years of age.
Kids, who used to dominate the Facebook world, are now on Snapchat, Instagram and Twitter thus leaving the “book” to the adults in the world. We post pictures of our kids and our grandkids as well as share anything from funny cat videos to Joel Osteen quotes. Family dinners now include phones at the table surfing the social media while enjoying mom’s meatloaf.
Media trash like the Inquirer and TMZ are making a living on today’s technology. Stories with photos of Matt Damon with his photo-shopped “Dad-bod” on the beaches of Malibu or Adam Sandler having a business meeting with a female producer only to be misled in believing that his is having a heated affair. It is quite comical to read but sadly the naive believe them. Even the Presidential race is not exempt.
Unfortunately, it has even trickled into national news as stories now have tweets from celebrities showing their concerns. Like I want to know what Drake has to say about the weather in the mid-west.
What bothers me the most about the advancements in technology are the things you find on YouTube. There are videos out there so off the wall that AFV’s Bob Saget couldn’t even make a quirky comment about it. From bum fights to people imitating Johnny Knoxville, the internet is plagued with videos like these. It is not entertainment to my taste, but people out there do find humor in them.
Close to home a high school was all over social media due to a fight between two students during the school day. And boy did the community voice their opinions. Parents throughout Harrison County shouted (ALL CAPS) their displeasure.
For those that are unaware of what happened, there was a fight between two kids in the gym and while one was getting the best of the other, no one stepped in to separate the two until a few moments passed. While it was classified as an isolated incident, it was the hot topic on the “book” as members shared the story with friends and this continued until, as they say in the business – “it went viral.”
“Where were the teachers?” and “Why didn’t the kids stop them?” were a few of the comments posted. And then, as others stepped in to give their two-cents, there were arguments between the posters. The snowball turned into an avalanche and before you knew it, things got out of hand.
I guess I am just frustrated over where this world is going. I am glad I grew up in a world where communication was in the form of a rotary phone or snail mail and I feel bad for the kids of today because of their interpersonal skills. Unfortunately, face-to-face interaction is a thing of the past.
In closing, I leave it to the parents to set the example and leave the phones alone during family events. Whether it is during dinner or family movie night, oral communication is a must. It teaches kids how to communicate with others and it will be a valuable commodity in their development for a career in the adult world.