It's all been said before, but I feel like it needs to be said again. Today's society is lazy. We are losing our connection with each other and focusing instead on our own needs and desires. It's depressing to see people wasting money on luxuries instead of investing in helping others.
We live in a culture where the most exciting thing to do is "Netflix and Chill." Not even the *wink wink* *nudge nudge* kind of Netflix and chill; the kind where we will sit on our butts for hours on end doing nothing but watching TV show after TV show to avoid everything related to life. We are quickly leaving behind the days of bike riding for fun and are instead zooming around on our "hoverboards" just to go to the kitchen. Everything today is saturated in "FAST AND EASY," "Get yours NOW" and "You don't even have to leave your couch!" From online shopping to universal remotes, we are being conditioned to be lazy.
Yesterday, I was walking across campus and noticed someone on a skateboard. But instead of actually riding the skateboard like normal, it was electric; he was literally moving by a button on his phone and just standing there. I think this bothered me more than it should have. What has the world come to? I see young kids today more caught up in their parent's phones than in reading a book or playing outside. When did we stop reading kids bedtime stories? When did we get rid of the basketball hoops in the driveways and put big screens in bedrooms? We are raising a generation of lazy children and lazy people. We are allowing kids and teens to focus on themselves instead of others. I miss the days of running around in the backyard and only coming inside for a snack.
So what's the point? Why am I bringing up the same things everyone else has already brought to the forefront? Because we can change. I honestly have hope in my generation to change the future. People look at the 80s and 90s babies and consider them a self-centered "selfie generation." I don't actually think that's the case. When I look around at my peers, I see a future of happiness, not laziness. I see a future of love and acceptance. Although we seem to be stuck on this train of doing what's easy, I think we have a greater tendency to lean toward change.
It won't be easy to change our tendencies. It won't be easy to tell our children to focus on others and not themselves, but I believe we can do it. I believe it will only take a bit of patience and encouragement from each other. Instead of buying that motorized scooter, invest in something that will help someone else. Instead of plugging your headphones in to drown out the world, listen to the people and creatures around you. Instead of watching TV for hours on end, go take a walk around the block and knock on your neighbor's door to chat for a few minutes. Stop focusing solely on yourself and start focusing on how you can help someone else. Don't allow your children the opportunity to play on your phone for entertainment. Encourage them instead to color or spend time with friends outside.
If we could just work together to change, maybe we can get rid of the word lazy and instead use words like love, life, and legacy.
