"In My Day, The Internet Was Called 'Books!'"

Okay, so maybe I paraphrased Peter Falk's statement from The Princess Bride, but in this case, I feel it's appropriate.

I don't really know what spawned the idea in my head.  I think it's because my cousin's kids (who are really the closest thing I have to a niece and nephew) are getting older, and will soon have homework that will include written reports, which reminds me of that time in my own life.

It occurred to me that when I was their age (maybe a year older), I was writing reports without using the internet.  The closest thing I had to the internet was this new program they called "Encarta."

That got me thinking.  With the recent, and exponentially growing innovations in technology, we are in fact, dumbing ourselves down as a society.  Let me state for the record that I am NOT dissing the internet.  I LOVE the internet.  I'm all over the internet.  I mean, come on.  I have a blog. 

However...

There are basic skills that I learned as a kid that I think should still be taught today.  How to write a research report without the use of the internet, for example.  And it worries me to think that institutions like the public library will die out.

Much in the way my friends down in San Diego are trying to "reach a younger generation of theatre-goer," I think it would be great if elementary school students were required at some point early in their education to write a report using only hard copy sources.  And by hard copy, I mean books, not a printout of an internet source, reputable or otherwise.

Not only would it prepare them for any event in which the internet may crash, but I also believe it would teach them associated life lessons.  It would give them a new kind of respect for those who came before them.  To know that before information was readily available to anyone with two hands and a computer, there was a time when if you wanted information, you had to actually leave the house and look for it.

And no, a field trip to the library to learn how it works, doesn't count.  The only real way to learn how to use a public library, is to actually have to use it.

I realize this notion goes against the grain in this "green" and "paperless" world, but I do think that knowing how to use a public library is a really good skill for everyone to have.  There's something very grounding about holding an actual book in your hands and copying down information on a separate piece of paper.  It's all very academic, and I, for one, feel smarter for having done so.

I suppose this fits in with my last rant on television.  And it definitely plays into my love of the movie Idiocracy.  Seriously, watch it.  Society is being sucked into the virtual world, and we are losing our grip on reality.  So as I step down from my soap box, I'll leave you with this bit of wordplay.  A last little rant on our slowly stupefying society.

Watch the beginning of Idiocracy.  The devolution of Fuddruckers.  Then take a look at this place.

LA's newest restaurant addition, branching from the Vegas food truck:  Fukuburger

*credit*

Japanese inspired burgers.  But tell me you didn't read it the way I did.  Yeah, and their slogan is "Get Lucky."

Don't even get me started on all the things they can do with Pho restaurants.

It's happening, ladies and gents.  Idiocracy... is upon us.