Pre-Video & Post Video
by
Moses Hochstetler
(Age: 59)
copyright 03-29-2004
Age Rating: 10 to 127
"Talk of the Town"
By Lee Bradford Browne
My guess is that 99.9% of all children today don't know what they're missing. furthermore, they're too busy with video games, CD's, and organized sports to even care. It's hard for teenagers today to visualize life before CD's and video games existed. In fact, I think future generations will abolish the BC and AD view of history in favor of BV & AV (Before-Video and After-Video). Or perhaps they will call it BL & AL (Before-Life and After-Life). You have heard the axiom to "get a life"? That's a catch-phrase for "get your ear phones on and plug in, man!"
In my youth we did such mundane things as play cards, board games, or croquet with the family. We would even sit around and talk over a bowl of popcorn, or put a picture puzzle together, if you can believe that. When we'd get together with friends, we'd play such exciting games as Tag, Kick-the-can, Red Rover, Dare Base, or "Andy Over." Talk about an exciting afternoon! And if that wasn't enough excitement, there was always the forbidden fishing hole just a little south on County Line Road. That was about as "illegal" as any of us young people dared to get back in those days. If we got caught, it wasn't "off to jail" but "out to the wood shed." Of course, that was way back in the year 25 BS (Before Stress).
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I can see you touched upon a subject that caused a lot of emotion in others, which is a very good thing. It gets the mind working, and that is definately a good thing!..lol
I agree that the 99.9% is way too high. The pack I have always run with were too poor to afford such luxuries as video games or CD players. We didn't even have a television until I was about 10 years old (I am 17 now, by the way). We, too, had to use our imaginations and improvise a lot. I remember using garbage can lids and broom sticks for swords and shields..lol.
On the "Before Stress". Perhaps you remember it that way because you were a child and able to live that carefree life? I wonder if your parents thought of it in the same light. Just a thought. I would think there is stress at any age and during any era; perhaps the reasons for the stress just change?
I, now work full time and live on my own...plus I am in High School, so yes I do know stress. I also know of the children you speak of here...as this school is full of it...lol.
I do appreciate hearing your views and thank you for posting them. I think this type of conversation sparks responses that help us to understand one another a bit better. I have learned, though (I hope I have learned this), to not generalize anyone...we are just too diverse to do that.
Hm, that's odd. You actually spent time with your family? My mom always tells it as that she and her friends were never home.
"If we were home, we were cleaning. There was no tv or video games back then, so we made ourselves scarce."
Of course, they got into a lot more trouble than most people would believe. I think that the main reason kids get into trouble so much nowadays, is tthat there is so many new things. My mother has absolutely NO idea how to use a computer. I, on the other hand, type 120 words a minute. I could hide anything I wanted from her on here, quite easily.
The problem is that kids (people my age) understand this new world a lot better than the adults do. Even if you take classes and learn how to use a computer, or how to put controls on, I can guarantee you that a kid can find a way to get through it. There's back doors and secret passages to anything, and my generation (because we grew up with this technology) will always be one step ahead.
So, it's hard for parents to control what kids do, because they don't understand exactly what it is kids are doing. A lot of times, the kids don't either. (Just look at all the RIAA lawsuits that stunned people all over the world. Over 70% of users had absolutely no idea that what they were doing was wrong)
As for spending quality time with my family? Ugh, do you even know my family? My dad works nights on weekends, and my mom works day during the week. So, they NEVER see eachother. I have so much schoolwork, that after all my extracurricular activities (like academic team, french club, plays, and debate team) I do my homework and crash at 11pm. On weekends, I have work, and it's the only time I really ever get to see my friends (because we're all so busy with school during the week. I guess that's what you get for being an overacheiver). But, partly, that's our parents' fault. "Go to college, get a scholarship cause we can't afford it, make straight A's" getting constantly drilled into your head does nothing to help an already stressed filled day.
I'm not really sure if I'd enjoy spending time with my family. Since I started High School, we barely no eachother. Between my school, and their work, the only time we get to see eachother as at a half an hour dinner where we all sit down, make small talk, before going back to our individual lives.
I think you're right in one sense Moses, kids DON'T know what they're missing, only because they don't have much time to miss it. Until parents and school back off a little and say "You're doing a really great job" instead of "You call this work?! How are you going to get a scholarship with this kind of essay?!" then kids are going to see headphones, CD's, and movies as their temporary escape. Because, for those few precious moments, we're actually watching/listening to someone else's problems, that seem way worse than our.
I can remember a time when there wasn't anything more thrilling then playing a board game with my family and getting lost in the woods with my friends. It seems the older I got, the more interested in
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