Time Machine

Dear Friends,
By refusing technology in my grade one/two class, I have categorized myself as an "underdeveloped" teacher! I'm not touched by the insinuation. I was raised in what westerners used to call, the third world countries.
What earned us the title of "underdeveloped," or later the more politically correct term "developing" country, certainly was not our lack of culture, history or wealth, but lack of modernism!
We favoured glass and cloth over plastic and paper, fresh home-cooked litter-less lunch over microwaved leftovers or cold sandwiches behind the desk. Most of our clothes were hand-washed and air-dried. Our cleaning products were scent, chemical and frill-free. Vinegar, lemon juice, ashes and baking soda were major scrubs as real egg yolk, yogourt, almond and olive oils, had a distinct place amongst beautification goods. Elderly lived with their offsprings and young children either read, drew or used their imagination to keep busy. With three TV channels and only one or two radio stations, adults had no choice but to acknowledge each other's presence. As uncomfortable as life appeared to be, without the modern gadgets of the West, it was stress-free, hormone-less and allergy safe.

Today, half-a-century later, the three R's, Recycle, Reuse, Reduce have become 'thoroughly developed' countries' mantra! However, another epidemic is on the rise! People, as young as my two year-old granddaughter, are running to embrace Technology! Once again, those who are resisting modernism are being labelled.
Since every so often, the Western world questions its choices, I wonder how long it will take the society to recognize the perils of too much technology too soon.
Playing with Pharaoh's (Yul Brynner) words to his historians in the movie, The Ten Commandments, so let it be written, so let it be known, that in year 2013 Lili predicted "Technology" will eventually suffer the same fate as "Plastic."
I would like to think that a minimal fraction of a minuscule segment of tomorrow's adults have developed, thanks to my technology-less teaching environment, more patience, a firmer grip, a longer attention span and much better social and listening skills.
This arriérée has been to the future and back! Accepted and filed! What have you accepted and filed, today?