Touch Grass

 

In barely 2 generations, we’ve gone from bowling leagues to bowling alone to not going out at all. The first two steps are the premise of the famous Robert Putnam book, "Bowling Alone," in which he notes that 1980's folks bowled just as much as 1950's folks but far more often solo versus in formal leagues, which he ominously warned was a fraying of the good that social interactions gives each of us and society as a whole.

Now our digital ubiquity threatens to further isolate and depress us. Kids especially interact with their phones so much that most of their interactions with their friends is through their phones. And while it's great to be so easily connected to people and information, it must impose a huge cost on our wellness and relationships.

It is easy for me to think back to my childhood, one in which screens were far less dominant and one in which my parents were very intentional about doing physical things together, like go to the swimming pool or drive to a national park. I can still hear my dad going on and on about things like views and fresh air and nature facts. 

I have taken up those batons, so my kids have the pleasure of rolling their eyes when I do the same thing with them. But I will not apologize. Kids, nay all humans, need to touch grass and go for walks and be together. It's for our good, and we are fighting a mighty tide against this healthy thing.