X-box Nation: The Decline and Fall of American Civilization

Does anyone remember the good old days of unencumbered recess, sports camps, summer camps, limited television channels and no computers or gaming consoles? One only has to look at the outbreaks of violence associated with the debut of Playstation 3 to realize that there is a tide of social change in the US and it is not a good one.

Consider the following:

Increasing obesity rates, not just nationally and among adults, but in juveniles. To the point where teenagers are getting liposuction.

A huge drop in the number of males enrolling in college or even graduating from high school.

Increasing restrictions of the type of recess activities on our school grounds.

A drop in athletic programs and requirements in high school.

My contention is that our children have become game and internet obsessed, to the point that their reality is based entirely on electronic mediums. Their out of touch worlds are preventing them from growing up and are impacting their physical and mental health. Some kids in my neighborhood represent a microcosm of this: One kid, after having dropped out of high school, then going back and getting his GED, quit a job he had so that he could play video games. His brother now does nothing other than play video games. Another kid spends every free minute he has in their basement, at 20, his weight has ballooned to 300 pounds. He cannot walk a flight of stairs without breathing heavily. He is addicted to myspace as well, looking for love online almost constantly. In that house, the existence of 21 year olds ensures that alcohol and cigarettes are always available. Drugs are also present.

Most of my best childhood memories come from playing and exploring outdoors, especially the horse farm next to my neighborhood. In high school, I started an exercise regimen that I essentially continue to do today. At the time, television viewing was limited, exercise classes were mandatory, and I had parental support to run cross country and lift weights.

You might ask where the parents are today. Not a simple answer: Some parents are afraid of driving their kids away if they set limits on outside behavior. Other parents are concerned about being viewed as negative and want to create a safe haven for their kids at home. Still others are grappling with the challenges of being single parents.

Is there an answer? I dont know. I can honestly tell you that I also like to play games, preferably historical first person shooters. But, you have to place limits on yourself, otherwise, you end of spending the entire day or weekend on it. In a sense, it is an addiction you have to control.

My sense is that we need to foster and create alternative diversions for our kids, giving them other activities to engage in that promote a healthy lifestyle and will allow them to mature in the real world, not an electronic one.