The World: Virtual vs. Real
I live right next to a big park, and I’m constantly amazed at the fact that it’s almost always empty. It’s the kind of place I would have spent much of my time as a kid. Of course, when I was a kid (here we go) we didn’t have MySpace, World of Warcraft or cell phones with internet access. Our version of World of Warcraft was hitting each other with sticks.
Michelle Rodriguez Trudy Chacon
I won’t say those were better days, but I do believe we’re losing touch with the physical world. This article from The Guardian
confirms that. It says that the number of people participating in outdoor activities has fallen precipitously since the 1980’s. The culprit? Videophilia, a preference for indoor media activities. Translation: MySpace, Facebook, RuneScape, texting, Nintendo DS, PSP, PS3, Wii, instant messaging, first person shooters, email, MP3 players and smart phones, to name a few. Who has time to go outside?
We need to make time.
goes on to say that by staying inside, we’re putting the environment at risk. People become environmentalists because they love the outdoors. You can’t fall in love with the outdoors if you’ve never been there.
But the environment is not the only thing to suffer as a result of our decreasingly active lives. According to our friends at the President’s Challenge, two-thirds of Americans are obese or overweight. Coincidence?
I humbly suggest that we all try a new game. It’s massively multiplayer (6+ billion users), high-rez and rendered in stunning 3D with immersive sound. It’s free to play and you don’t need any technology. It’s called the real world. Log out and give it a try! Unplug the kids and bring them along too. Throw a ball, ride a bike, chase each other around the park, play disc golf. If you’re short on ideas, visit the President’s Challenge website for some inspiration.
And don’t forget to take some pictures for your MySpace page.
maybe ‘they’ should make electronic devices only work from direct light solar energy.
Good idea! Or how about batteries that get charged by physical activity, thus ensuring a balance of real-world and electronic interaction?
So true, so true. Personally, I spend a heck of a lot more time outside in the summer. Being from the generation that was told “go outside and play…and don’t come back until supper”, I go absolutely stir crazy during these cold, dark Wisconsin winters! I can’t wait to take Ben and Jordan outside to play in the park, or better yet, SWIM!!! I guess I need to be a bit more creative in the winter, and a bit more bundled up! Ahhhh…Tshirts, flip flops, and shorts….
It’s not just our bodies that are suffering – our brains and emotional growth suffer, too. There was an amazing story on NPR’s Morning Edition yesterday about how kid’s cognitive functions and ability to regulate their own behavior has changed since the mid-50s when “play” become synonymous with “toys” rather than actual physical play. SO interesting.
NPR: Old-Fashioned Play Builds Serious Skills:
http://tinyurl.com/2qxao9
Excellent article Bridget! I love this part:
“…encourage kids to use symbolic props that they create and make through their imaginations. For example, a stick becomes a sword.”
They must’ve played the 70’s version of WoW too.
Hey there
however I’m searching about it very long time and I can’t discover any info, and it is important.
Good evening Thanks for a super blurb. Saved your URL and drop by very soon. Cheers
all ideas are welcome!
Fantastic post, I bookmarked your blog so I can visit again in the near future, All the Best
The web-site above claims you can get a free Nintendo 3DS on the internet………. Has someone experimented with some of these free Nintendo 3DS offers?
A couple of good suggestions would be awesome! Thanks.
In my honest opnion that although it was easy to see a well-written article I believe that there were still points to be expanded upon. I would like to hear your thoughts..and that of your other readers and whether or not they have decided the same themselves. Cheers
you have to plug it into the usb port, when the transfer screen pops up X out of it. go to your shared folder and right click the song you want to transfer. then when the optios bar pops up choos transfer or move (depending on the operating system your computer has) and choose usb port or it may say something like extended storage or something of that sort. then it will ask if you are sure, click yes and it will transfer for you.