The Technology Age...

...has ruined us as friends, communicators, thinkers, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I love my cell phone, my laptop, Facebook, and all other technological tools and gadgets, but I do think that it has had a negative impact on our society.

Remember the days when we used to write letters to each other in school? I couldn't WAIT to see my friends and give them a note. Kids don't do that anymore! I have been teaching for six years and have only confiscated one note. Now, you may be thinking, "Why would a teacher WANT her students to pass notes in class?" Good question! It's not that I necessarily want them passing notes, but at least when we wrote to each other we were....well....writing! The quality of writing today is horrible. Students turn in research papers and essays without punctuation, capitalization, and they use texting shortcuts! That is definitely the result of less written communication.

Did you know that schools stopped teaching cursive? Writing has become so obsolete that students in junior high cannot read cursive (and that's the truth. I wrote a sentence on the board in cursive last year and a student raised their hand and said, "I can't read that"). 

I used to have friends that I would write letters to and put in the mail. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone and mailed it via the mailman? What about birthday cards? I used to get birthday cards from many people - probably at least 10-12 of them. How many did I get on my last birthday? Two! Everyone says "Happy birthday!" on Facebook and thinks they are covered. I have been guilty of this in the past, but I have decided that I won't take part in it anymore. I tried to avoid all the meaningless "Happy Birthdays" on my last birthday by taking my birth date off of Facebook, but once one person posts, everyone sees it and then people end up wishing you happy birthday anyways.

Last week I receive a "Just Because" card in the mail from my best friend and it seriously made my whole week! It was just what I needed and it made me realize that I need to do more of that as well.

I just want everyone to stop and think and see if technology is running your life, and if it is, maybe make it a point to send a letter, send a card, or call someone just to say hi this week. I'm sure it would make that person's day and in turn you will feel great as well!

--T