I’ve been watching YouTube videos of people who have uploaded video footage of their childhood or school life and it’s been interesting.

I stumbled upon the channel of Len Enders who had taken footage of life with his friends at home and school which brought back memories for me because he had captured a point in time that I had since long forgotten. Things like hanging out with friends at arcades, going to parties at friends homes and generally having a laugh.

I spent an afternoon looking at these videos and chuckling to myself because I recalled my free spirited days of youth too. Of course I’m not saying that it was all roses back then as it was a different time, however, I loved to watch how everyone had this sense of cheerfulness about them.

A couple of nights ago, on the news, we watched a segment where the education department was considering making some schools “only online” to cater for the increasing number of students who choose not to attend in person anymore. I found this story incredibly sad. I sighed.

This must be a big issue post-covid where some may have decided to opt out of face to face education entirely. I don’t think opting out of social and human contact is the answer and yet, more and more it feels like we are protecting ourselves inside our walls – whether physical or mental – to prevent interacting with others.

Then when I saw these videos of high school life in the 80s, the kids were socialising in groups, having a laugh, playing pranks, just being kids. They seemed less anxious and free. For a while, just looking at those videos made me smile and realise that we have lost something since then.

Something has gone awry but we are now down a path where we cannot turn back.

Maybe the internet was a bad idea?

Maybe social media is at fault for creating the addicted and consumerist society we see around us?

Anyway I have no answers. I don’t know. Maybe I’ve become sentimental as I age?

For now, here’s what a telephone dead ring tone sounds like: