Be An Active and Engaged Participant in Your Own Life
I'm not exactly sure when the transition occurred, where people stopped being an active participant and observer in their own life, and started to immerse themselves in the lives of people they don't know.
Perhaps it took place gradually as technology allowed them to become voyeurs watching through the airwaves of television. Then it truly exploded with the internet and social media where people had the ability to advertise their daily lives looking for fifteen minutes of fame. Posting their every move through words and pictures.
I'm sure there are many who could not imagine surviving without these social avenues being available to them. However, as a child of the fifties and sixties I can assure them it is possible. We did have television (which we were allowed to view only for a short time) but the channels were limited and the programming did not include "reality" shows that gave every detail of someone's daily life. Our technological devices were a telephone (which we could not use for hours) and transistor radios which allowed us to listen to music. I never felt deprived and really didn't think others were more interesting to watch.
We were engaged in our own lives and enjoyed being active participants. We communicated with each other face to face, played traditional and made up games, and sang along with music on the radio, maybe pretending we were that person for fun. We did follow movie stars and musical groups, but it was through print media such as Tiger Beat, 16 Magazine, Teen Screen, Today's Teen, etc. Our escape from reality was reading a book and getting lost in the story - day dreaming of being in that place and time. Using our imagination to bring entertainment into our day.
Now that we have the technology available I know those days are behind us, but I'm not so sure all of it should be. People need to stop being so absorbed with what others are doing, and become involved in their own lives. Stop long enough to engage with their children and have conversations about the day. Look at all that is good in their life and create more opportunities to entertain themselves. Get out and do things together - have that face to face contact and get to know people in their community.
We need to stop shutting ourselves in and watching what someone else is doing, because what they are doing truly doesn't matter. What we do with family, friends and community are the important experiences in life. We need to once again become active participants and observers in our own lives, and not voyeurs in the life of a stranger.
Perhaps it took place gradually as technology allowed them to become voyeurs watching through the airwaves of television. Then it truly exploded with the internet and social media where people had the ability to advertise their daily lives looking for fifteen minutes of fame. Posting their every move through words and pictures.
I'm sure there are many who could not imagine surviving without these social avenues being available to them. However, as a child of the fifties and sixties I can assure them it is possible. We did have television (which we were allowed to view only for a short time) but the channels were limited and the programming did not include "reality" shows that gave every detail of someone's daily life. Our technological devices were a telephone (which we could not use for hours) and transistor radios which allowed us to listen to music. I never felt deprived and really didn't think others were more interesting to watch.
We were engaged in our own lives and enjoyed being active participants. We communicated with each other face to face, played traditional and made up games, and sang along with music on the radio, maybe pretending we were that person for fun. We did follow movie stars and musical groups, but it was through print media such as Tiger Beat, 16 Magazine, Teen Screen, Today's Teen, etc. Our escape from reality was reading a book and getting lost in the story - day dreaming of being in that place and time. Using our imagination to bring entertainment into our day.
Now that we have the technology available I know those days are behind us, but I'm not so sure all of it should be. People need to stop being so absorbed with what others are doing, and become involved in their own lives. Stop long enough to engage with their children and have conversations about the day. Look at all that is good in their life and create more opportunities to entertain themselves. Get out and do things together - have that face to face contact and get to know people in their community.
We need to stop shutting ourselves in and watching what someone else is doing, because what they are doing truly doesn't matter. What we do with family, friends and community are the important experiences in life. We need to once again become active participants and observers in our own lives, and not voyeurs in the life of a stranger.
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