In 2008, Disney released “WALL-E,” a film that showcased a robot named Wall-E that was left to clean up garbage on a future, uninhabitable, deserted Earth in 2805. I remember watching the movie more than a decade ago and thinking I hope our society never reaches the level of laziness depicted on the movie.
It is no surprise that as our technology advances we tend to rely on it more than we do ourselves. Years ago, we all had at least 15 numbers memorized. From friends and family, to businesses and the local time/ temp number, we could rattle them off as if it was second nature. Fast forward a couple of decades and many rely solely on the devices that have grown to be a staple in their daily lives.
As I have been reminding myself to “unplug” from technology, I thought of the movie and how so many had lost the ability to do every- day tasks. They relied so much on technology that communication with others was a lost art. Something I believe our society struggles with now. We have become entitled in this digital world. The item that was once meant to connect us, has left many feeling lonelier and defeated. Although the easy button is always appealing, we must make sure that we don’t fall victim to this lifestyle. We can utilize the technology but not become dependent on it. Make sure to communicate with each other, face to face, and teach our youth to do the same.
On a different note, the fair season is upon us! Our county 4-H participants kicked off this year’s event with Archery last weekend and Shotgun will be held this Sunday. The annual fair will be held July 25-28 (with other pre-fair events being held on July 19 and 23). If able, please take the time to support our youth through their various projects. Many have spent countless hours/months working to perfect various projects and look to cap off the event with Grand Champion honors.
Robin Wunderlich
Quote of the Week “The failure to invest in youth reflects a lack of compassion and a colossal failure of common sense.” ~ Coretta Scott King
