I’m fighting through a headache to write this, and it is because I have been staring at a screen for far too long. It is pretty safe to say that Apple has taken over the world…and I say that as I am typing on a Macbook and my iPhone is sitting next to me. When I go to work later, I’ll be clinging to an iPad that tracks the seating arrangements and reservations of the restaurant I call home. As the children of the millennial generation grow wiser and smarter, so does the technology. We grew up with this stuff, and we will never grow out of this stuff.
We also grew up playing outside. When boredom struck, you’d call up your neighbors and go for a bike ride. If you were alone, you could grab a bucket of chalk and make the driveway your masterpiece. Nowadays, “There’s an app for that.” Entertainment now is as simple as the push of a button. Instead of reaching for dandelions, kids are reaching for parents’ phones. The new generations are already losing touch of their wild sides, facilitated by the older generations who are addicted to social media and instant gratification through technology.
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We’re setting a horrible example for the future generations. If we stay glued to the screen, the future generations will not even dabble with the thought of going outside for entertainment. They’ll put “screenery” before greenery, and never know how it feels to have wanderlust. My simple solution starts with you, us, and everyone in the present day reading this online. Turn that sh*t off and go outside. You are simultaneously draining yourself as you drain the batteries of your various devices. And much to your dismay, humans cannot plug into the wall and recharge. Disconnect from Wi-fi, reconnect with nature, and see the world with your eyes, not through Google Images.
I’d be a hypocrite if I did not admit I was addicted to my phone. I feel naked without it. Yet, on a recent trip to the Hopi and Navajo Nations of Southern Utah and Arizona, I didn't have service for three days straight. On the long car rides, I jealously watched the others on my trip buried in their phones, communicating to those on all sides of the world. Feeling green with envy changed to colors of red, yellow, and blue, as I was able to take time to stare out the window instead of staring at my phone (or my friends who were on their phones). I was able to see the mesas that towered above me, the shades of red rock that painted the desert, and the endless blue skies. It gave me a chance to recharge my mind, and self reflect on why I was here in the first place. I was even blessed with the chance to see the sun rise over the Grand Canyon. It was here that I had this realization: the internet cannot show you how beautiful the world is, you have to go out and see it yourself. Not all forms of gratification are meant to be instant. Gratification can be as simple as drinking a crappy cup of hotel coffee and watching the sun light up one of the most beautiful landmarks in the United States.
In essence, this trip made me realize that as millennials we need to take technology seriously, but maintain a connection with our roots in nature (some pun definitely intended). Blah blah Uncle Ben, great power and great responsibility, but ultimately responsibility starts with the individual. The future generations and their habits start with us, and the nature and nurture we provide to them. It is essential that we emphasize the love of going outside and rolling around in the organic, raw, dirt-filled environment that is our home and our planet. To instill good habits in the future, one must instill said habits in oneself. So stop reading, put some pants on, and go outside already.
