A New and Lazy Society

Have you ever really sat back in the past little while, and thought of what has become of our society? Sure, many people would look around and say, “We are technologically advanced, and in an age of prosperity.” However, that is only looking at one part of the account. Having such an advanced technological society in things such as electronic devices, people are becoming lazy and out of shape. This is caused by the need for higher education due to the technology, the increase in past time electronics such as gaming devices, and the rise of hand held devices like cell phones and MP3 players. Overall, these seem like harmless devices, and they are; if only we were smart enough to find a happy medium.

At first, many may think, “A higher education, how could that be bad?” ill tell you how. The rise in technology has been the basis of many new discoveries and innovations. Due to this, we need a higher level of education, and often more, to meet the necessary requirements of society today. More work and studying means one thing; less time to do everything else! Between work and school, how are you supposed to find the time to exercise and eat right? Often times, people are forced to eat out at fast food restaurants, and exercise is out of the question, other than walking from class to class. Is this really what people were meant to do, sit in a chair for eight hours a day, studying? I think not! People spend 90 percent of their time sitting around doing nothing but move a pen, or type on a keyboard. There is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the leading causes for people gaining 20 percent of their bodyweight after post secondary, and it usually isn’t lean body mass!

One of the more evident causes of laziness in our society is now one of the biggest industries in the world, that’s right, the gaming industry. How many commercials do you see on TV for the newest game console, or game? These industries have this generation right where they want them; at home on the couch playing video games that are often purchased at ridiculous prices. Some people’s lives revolve around these games. It seems that is much easier to hit a home run, or score a goal in a game rather than go outside and do it yourself. It is becoming obvious that as more and more people go inside for gaming, the less people go outside. This is surely one of the major contributors to today’s unfit society, and will likely continue to worsen as the technology advances.

Perhaps the most noticeable of all technological changes in the past few years has been that of the cell phone, and portable audio devices. Almost everyone has one. The question is does this technology enhance or enslave us? I think the answer is that it enslaves us. People can no longer get away from phone calls and instant messaging. And then there are the brainless Mp3 players; which people will spend hours upon hours listening to. What ever happened to interacting with people? Not only does listening to music hour upon hour make you increasingly indolent, but furthermore, when people are hearing lyrics in today’s music like “I’m gonna knife ya sista” , it doesn’t necessarily help to bring up the people of tomorrow. In general, these pieces of technology can be used beneficially, but it all comes down to moderation.

Taken as a whole, technology has the potential to do great things; however, most people just haven’t found out how to incorporate healthy living with it. The need for education, new gaming devices, and the newest cell phones and MP3 players has certainly contributed to the increasingly lazier people of modern society. However, it mostly falls on the individuals self control to be able to moderate their usage. Take it from me; exercise doesn’t have to be boring; if you get out there in your community, the involvement in athletics can be one of the most rewarding experiences of a lifetime. For now, I’m happy with the fact that I don’t have a cell phone or Mp3 player, and that my XBOX rarely sees the light of day; I wouldn’t trade it for the world.