As a society...where are we headed?

[ScubaLouie]

The technological explosion has been awesome in the last century, but at what price?  We as a society have become a complacent people.  We sit inside and watch high definition tv, surf the net, play video games and the only outdoors we see is when we look oustide through a window.  Obesity is at all time highs, diabetes is a major problem.  Attendance in youth sports and extracurricular activities is dropping each year.  In many states, the number of hunting and fishing licenses sold has been declining for years.

We as a people are becoming "technologically lazy".  So many things make our lives easier and also can consume our lives, that we aren't enjoying this great earth we live on.  Ever wonder why children and adults have more severe allergies than previous generations?  Our ancestors stayed outside working fields, growing/gathering foods and built up natural immunities to allergens.  We don't spend enough time outside anymore to build up immunities.

We just need to make sure we enjoy our lives and make sure to teach our children how to enjoy and respect all that we have.......

 

[mulefeathers]

I will agree to most of this statement except the part of youth sports.  I work directly with youth sports through out the year.  Football, Baseball, Basketball, Softball, Soccer, and Cheerleading.  The kids participating in these sports grow every year.  At least in Madison and Rankin counties.

[ScubaLouie]

I agree that there are regional pockets that "buck the national trends", but take a look at these numbers I recently read...



Participation in team sports has been in steady decline for decades.
Urban youth are much less likely to participate in sports and fitness programs than suburban youth. Over 60% of suburban youth participate in sports leagues compared to 20% of urban youth.
Kids who play sports are 57% less likely to drop out of school, 49% less likely to take drugs, and 37% less likely to become teen parents.
Childhood obesity more than tripled from 1975-2004, from just more than 5% to a projected 16.7%.4

[Blotto]

I will agree to most of this statement except the part of youth sports.  I work directly with youth sports through out the year.  Football, Baseball, Basketball, Softball, Soccer, and Cheerleading.  The kids participating in these sports grow every year.  At least in Madison and Rankin counties.

I don't think he's referring to one general locale, where it may be growing in one particular region, as opposed to the numbers dropping like a rock in maybe other regions and states.

It's all true though. We as a society (mankind in general, not just Americans) have become somewhat dependent on technology. Instead of pedalling a bicycle, they are motorized now. Instead of walking in your shoes, they now come with wheels....

And about allergies, this so-called "allergy" to the sun - skin cancer exists because we're warned not to go out into the sun, so we stay indoors. And then when we do go outside, we're putting on sunblock. Most of our body's natural Vitamin D production comes from the sun.

Damn, I need to go renew my fishing license...

[mulefeathers]

I think your key word in there is urban.  Madison and Rankin counties are not what I would call highly urban areas.  The youth in highly urban areas just have no where to go.  They spend there time indoors because it is all they have.  Note I am not disagreeing with the sentiment of the statements.  I just believe there are some areas of the state/country that are trying to do something about the problem.  

Northwest Rankin athletics have nice facilities where families feel safe dropping their children off to play and every bit of it is done through volunteer work the city does not build or maintain those fields.  The people in charge of MRYC all go out of their ways to get local kids involved in playing sports.