Rational Insanity
Where have all the children gone?
NB: Before I move on to this week's topic I would like to personally thank Lea and Vanessa for their continued patronage of my column, and yes, Vanessa, you're definitely right, it's the movie 'Red Eye' and not 'Flight Plan' that I was talking about. Sorry I had my details mixed up. Thank you so much for the correction.
Now, to this week's concern - I recently had about twelve text messages from as far as Bacolod, some readers, and some, old acquaintances.
The text messages were all asking me about what I think of the technologically whacked generation of today. In particular, these texters wanted me to write about what I thought would happen to many a childhood after hundreds of young brains have been drained of their creativity and their ability to do things without a game joystick or a button to push. Well, years back I actually had an article already written about my thoughts on this matter, and I think it's the same old issue altogether, after all features are meant to be timeless, right? So, here's the article, for all children from nine to ninety two, and for all those who have been nagged by the question, 'Where have all the children gone?'
(Reprinted with permission from the author)
I spent a wonderful night on the beach last week with some friends. We had dinner and after dinner we talked about the games that we played when we were still young and bubbly (of course, I'm still bubbly, but young? Well...). Anyway, there was the Chinese garter, Monkey-monkey Annabelle; we talked about the rhymes that we called out when we played. Most of these rhymes made no sense at all, but to us then, they meant everything that was fun and exciting.
Just the other night, I had the same wonderful chat with another set of friends, and this time we were talking about the games kids play on the beach. With all these talk about the games children play, I came to remember how I always wanted to go home right after school before knowing that my playmates would be waiting for me. Then at sundown, the streets would be filled with the laughter of children and the sound of enthusiastic and excited yells and shouts: where have all the children gone?
In a span of five to ten years the streets have become deserted at sundown as children, the same age we were ten or fifteen years back, troop to gaming centers for a bout with their cyber playmate. The technical beeps and blips of the Play Station and the family computer now muffle the yells and shouts that once filled the air with youthful spirits. The children of today do not play anymore. I dare say so, despite people telling me that I overstated a fact, because in today's IT age, children are impatient with childhood, they want to grow up as soon as possible. Their toys are no longer the toys of children. What can technology do to our children today? Well, apparently nothing, but then again, indulge me while I compare the children of today to the children of before.
The children of the past were truly children, and they have grown up to be compassionate and responsible individuals. The children of today are grown-ups with small bodies, and who knows how they'll grow up?
I may be just an old grouch holding on to something that should be let go, but I still feel that childish tingle from deep within my stomach every time I travel and the bus passes along far-flung municipalities where there are no computers and no television, and I see children playing "pityaw" or "tumba-patis" along the road. It seems to me that these children are luckier than those in the cities because they will grow up to be children--children at heart, children forever.
When I walk along our city streets I think to myself, "What if the world is just a great big playground? What if to actually win in life, you have to know the game and play by the rules? What if those rules, and that great big game of life, can only be conquered by great big children? What will happen to the children of today, who are never actually children once they learn how to press a button? Will they play the great big game of life well? Will they win? These questions play in my mind again and again, not because I am pessimistic but because in my wide-eyed wonder, I would also like to know.
After all, "I am a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars, I have a right to be here."
In my parry with life, I have realized that it is not my education, nor my experience that has kept me going, but the child that still lives inside of me the child that will live inside of me for as long as this great big game of life unravels before me and for as long as there are rhymes to sing and games to play, races to run, and desperate playmates to look for in the dark dank hiding places of life.
Tigbak, buang, binuno nga aswang... where have all the children gone?
There you go dear readers, I hope that inspires you all to never let go of the child within because all grown-ups are lonely -- nobody is an exception; but who says we have to grow-up?
Be rational; be insane, every once in a while! TTFN!
Hello to my dearest readers, to Vanessa, to Lea, Jenny, Am-am, Dot, Verona, James, Sheen, Hellpen, Anne, Mary Dale, Chan,Michelle, Zarthus, Jonald, Mr. Bobot, Vic, Vincent, and Rex, Alex, Arvin, Corz, Jim, Kiara, Malikh, Audrae, Franz, Hendrick, Janice, Jay, Jim, Jonathan, Mark, Marz, Mel, Pres, Nhonoy, Niel, Piper, Rheavil, Joey, Alma, Rodolfo, Ecker, Ryan, Roni, Ian, Narle, Sunny and to Anuj of CMC, I love you all! Byers! Salamat gid sa mga walang-hintong text and reactions nyo! Catch Rational Insanity in TNT's online edition, check us out at www.thenewstoday.info, text me at (0920)9254269, or email me at prague@eudoramail.com. Byers! Mmmmmmmwah!