The+Big+Three

= 3 =


 * Topic**: Causes and effects of children spending less time in nature today than in previous decades. ("nature deficit disorder")


 * Question:** BRAINSTORMING IDEAS
 * How has popular (american) culture played into the increase of "nature deficit disorder"?
 * **Can a healthy relationship with nature and being a part of popular culture coexist, and if so, why aren't they right now?**
 * **What is preventing technology and nature from coexisting, and how can that be changed?**
 * Thesis:** Over the past few decades, the entire essence of the “childhood experience” has been turned on its head. Where once children climbed trees and explored the great outdoors, today, kids prefer to watch television or play video games where all the creative exercise has already been done for them. Electronics and simplicity have brutally squeezed out nature and free play from the lives of children, causing a wide array of both mental and physical problems. The question remains however, why one lifestyle can only exist at the expense of the other? It is undeniable that advancing technology and electronics have become a central aspect of today’s popular culture, however this should not mean that humanity must give up its roots and connection to nature, especially in light of the recent evidence regarding the important role it plays in maintaining our health. Therefore, the problem is not how we should attempt to bar children from electronics in order to get them outside, but rather it is how we can create a balance between them so that children gain an understanding of how it is possible, and easy, to have a healthy relationship with nature while still being able to use all the gadgets and gizmos that have come to define our modern lifestyles.