Where have all the people gone? |
||
|
By |
||
|
|
||
| The Twenty-first Century has arrived. We have made a ton of growth technologically over the last hundred years. At the same time, wee seem to have backslid on showing warmth, appreciation, support, caring, and on being intimate. | ||
| The old-fashioned warmth of making cookies, visiting family, volunteering time to help others, sharing stories and jokes, celebrating life, giving thanks and sharing time together seems to be getting lost as more and more people are seduced by things. | ||
| Where have all the people gone? Gone to buy the latest crazes everywhere. Where have all the children gone? Gone to "Game Boys" and Pokemon cards everywhere. Where have all the adolescents gone? Gone to computer games and chat rooms everywhere. Where have all the teenagers gone? Gone to virtual reality games, piercing parlors and rave parties everywhere. Where have all the parents gone? Gone to buy more computer-ware for their kids. When will they ever learn…? When will they ever learn? | ||
| When we want customer service or help, often no one is there. A computer voice says, "Press 1 for help with kids”. "Press 2 for help with adults." "Press 3 for the latest crazes in toys and software." "Press 4 to return to the main menu.” We talk to "no one" everywhere. Who is on the other line? Where have all the people gone? | ||
| We baby boomers have done a marvelous job at inventing unbelievable advances in technology. We can shop on line, date on line, play on line, invest on line. We are all busy and these options can be very convenient. But are all these really "advances?" | ||
| The multitude of “techno-fad’ endorsing is helping our kids become extremely independent, adept at surfing the net and having a level of "sophistication" in many areas while, at the same time, robbing them of interpersonal skills, their ability to utilize their own imagination in creative play and their innocence and appreciation for experiencing the simple things in life. Starting with pinball games, we advanced to Nintendo, Game Boys, and a whole generation of a million other computer games. More and more, kids are not finding ways to just play, create rules to cooperate and interact with one another and to appreciate the simpler aspects of human interaction. | ||
| Whether out of guilt over divorce or working too hard, parents are giving in to supply and demand; buying Barbie wardrobes, beanie babies, Furbies, Pockemon cards and paying a fortune so their kids won't be left out of what's "in." Some will actually camp out in the parking lots of McDonalds or department stores to be the first in line to get the latest toy craze. More and more, kids are getting a fortune in gifts. Today, it is not unheard of for kids to be given $60,000 Bar or Bat Mitzvah parties or elaborate birthday parties just because "all the other kids" had one. Later, parents have to make a decision about buying their 16 year old a car. Not only does the teenager want a car, but they expect and demand one from their parents. | ||
| It’s a new year and a new age. Maybe it’s time to re-think our values. In trying to please our kids and satisfy their desires, are we doing what is best for them in the long run? I see kids getting caught up in wanting to fit in just as it has always been. But, today, fitting in means having more and more high tech toys; leaving kids more isolated and less able to express themselves to one another on interpersonal levels. | ||
| How much more are we going to look to computers for everything? There is nothing wrong with technology and progress, but I think we need to keep things in perspective before we wonder, "Where has all the joy gone?" Where has all the gratitude gone? Where has all the laughter gone? Where have all the people gone?" | ||
|
This article was written by Dr. Laurel A. Sills, a Fully Licensed Clinical Psychologist (since 1987) and Life Coach. She provides direct, down-to-earth, short-term therapy with long-term results. She is passionate in her work and will help you stay motivated to change your life with regular commitment to changing habits in thinking and behaving. See her website at: www.DrLSills.com or www.BuildAStrongerYou.com |
||
|
Copyright 2006© Laurel A. Sills, Psy.D. All rights reserved Back to Articles |