Read the passage and answer the question that follow.
The Lorax may have had a point when he
said, “Unless someone like you cares a
whole lot, nothing is going to get better.”
Change can only come from those who are
willing to accept that there is a problem to
begin with. This is a sentiment that appears
to be a little lost in society, and if we don’t
fix it soon, we risk losing the very essence
of what makes us human.
Every day, our minds are inundated with
horrifying tragedies, national crises and
economic burdens. Researchers urge us to
“tune out” or step away from the screen
because the display is simply too damaging
to handle but that seems like an impractical
task in a world where everyone has a
cellphone or computer. These travel-size
bits of hardware are essential components of
the working world and integral to keeping
us all in touch with one another.
What can we say? We are a screendependent,
technology-driven shell of
society we once were. It’s hard to fathom,
but the hunter-gatherer era was one of the
last times we, as a collective, were one with
Mother Nature. It was a beautiful time,
certainly—there was no worrying about
how much money was in your savings,
texting your situations back, or completing
the endless tirade of assignments.
The psychological imprint left by the
industrial revolution is unmistakable.
Studies have shown a dramatic increase in
neuroticism, anxiety disorders, depression
and substance abuse. The most tangible
consequences of modernity have manifested
themselves through us.
Even in terms of independence, humans
have begun to falter. The concept of “living
off the land” now seems foreign in society,
partly because there’s no need to, but also
due to the fact that no one knows how.
If the world were to plunge into some
catastrophic, unforeseen apocalypse
tomorrow, very few of us would be equipped
with the necessary skills to survive.
How do you start a fire in an emergency?
Build a shelter in a pinch. Gather food in the
absence of a nearby grocery store. They’re
skills privy to your average Boy Scout today,
but sparse among the general population.
Perhaps knowing how to do these things
with all the technology nowadays is a little
outlandish—but these aren’t the only skills
we’ve lost.
In relying on today’s advancements, humans
have forgone many basic communication,
social and connection skills that have long
been essential to our very existence as
familial creatures.
For as much as we appreciate the
conveniences gifted to us by modern
technology, in reflecting deeper on our
evolution from an agrarian lifestyle to a
more urban one, we cannot help but feel a
deep sense of loss.
It’s fair to mourn the simplicities of our
past lives, especially because of how easy
it is to get lost in the commotion of the
world today. The future is a looming threat
constantly hanging over our heads, and we
are continually fearful of what we must do
and what is to come.
In the midst of it all, many of us would
love nothing more than to just float away
from all our troubles into a small cabin out
in the middle of nowhere. No internet, no
assignments, no bills—just us and the Earth.
So, the long-overdue question of our time
is: how do we reconnect with Earth? Where
do we make space to fulfil our fantasy of
running through fields of fresh flowers,
gathering berries in the forest and exploring
every natural wonder there is?
We’re not saying we should totally abandon
the world today for anarchoprimitivism
(though that may certainly yield some
pretty interesting results), but by taking a
step back and exploring what lies beyond
the four corners of Boston University, we
can rekindle this connection.
In adhering to the wisdom of Mr. Lorax, if
we acknowledge the issue, we are on the
steadfast path to cultivating change. Yes,
we have lost a bit of ourselves, but by
returning to our roots and ditching the tech
every now and then, perhaps we can make
things whole once again.
Choose the incorrect statement.
AWe, as a society, are now dependent on screens and pushed by technology, a shadow of the civilization we once were.
BFew of us would have the abilities and skills to survive if the world descended into an unforeseen apocalypse.
CWe live in a scary world where the future looms large over our heads and we are unsure what to do or what is ahead.
DIn the midst of it all, none of us would want to get back to the pre-technology era, be away from our problems, or float away in a tiny hut in the middle of nowhere.
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