The other morning I was indulging myself by visiting one of the online daily news summaries I often frequent. My eyes skimmed across the computer screen consuming the latest happenings that some editor thought was important enough, or silly enough to share with the other eyes locked onto the site. Nothing new, really, mostly the Same Old Same Old: Political twists and ego schemes, wars and rumors of wars, etc. — when my orbs were stopped by a term I was not familiar with: “touch grass.”
I was on a site that highlighted a report by writer Alex Demas concerning tweets by Matthew Maddock, a Republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives. It seems Rep. Maddock alerted his followers to the “three buses just loaded up with illegal invaders at the Detroit Metro. Anyone have any idea where they are headed with their police escort?” In a later tweet he added, “Since we can’t trust the #FakeNews to investigate, citizens will.”
Well, apparently some citizens did just that. They learned from Allegiant Air the ‘invaders” were, in fact, the Gonzaga University Men’s Basketball team who were arriving in Detroit to prepare for their Sweet Sixteen game against Purdue. This was not enough evidence for the Honorable Michigan House member who later tweeted insults implying they were lying to two users who tried to call him on the tweet.
The highlight that originally got me started down this rabbit hole mentioned the Gonzaga basketball team and the busses of “illegal invaders” but did not go into detail. In the end, they humorously suggested that perhaps users who spend an inordinate amount on time online might want to occasionally “touch grass.”
Now I get it. “Touch grass” means to remember to take a break from the screens and devices and connect with reality, with the grassy, earthy and solid material world. As someone who sometimes identifies as a raging Luddite; who is a notorious complainer about how my devices seem to do what they want regardless of my wishes; and who often does a theatrical, slavish bow-down to my “Computer Overlords,” I can really appreciate the attitude behind the term “touch grass.” This is a concept I can support; a mantra I can incorporate into my “Life’s guiding principles” ethical file.
As soon as I embrace this idea comes the gut check. I ask myself: In my own life how often is my head and heart in nature, in the dream clouds of my own imagination, and how often is my head lost in Zuckerberg’s Cloud of ones and zeros? I read online and find myself sometimes frustrated, sometimes angry, sometimes sad, sometimes conceited and self-satisfied by what others post. The longer I read the more negative I get. I nod approvingly at the writers I agree with and shake my head at the gullibility of the True Believers. I sometimes try to see myself in those writers I disagree with, but it’s not easy. The splinter in the eye of others is so much easier to see than the log in my own eye.
When I read the statistics (usually online) of the hours users, especially young people, spend on the web, I am fearful for our future. I worry because fear is a great way to control people. Although the term is used to define a specific place on the web, often I think the entire enterprise should be referred to as “the dark web.”
One answer for me is to try to keep the darkness at bay. Easier said than done, I know. I admit I like having access to the world’s knowledge in my pocket. It’s when I am not touching grass that has me worried.
Norman Knight, a retired Clark-Pleasant Middle School teacher, writes this weekly column for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
