Autism, here there everywhere

I friend of mine showed me an interesting statistic concerint the prevelance of autism in Somali children living in Minneapolis. This article by David Kirby of the Huffington post goes into greater details. Since the rate is higher here then in Somalia some people think there must be a reason. The search for the cause will probably look for genetic or chemical influences. I think maybe people should more on how we live how we bring and raise young lives in this world, if children who play more outside are less prone to Autism as one study suggested. Television the downfall of america will be the title of some book in the future perhaps. I know I am prone to trap myself on the couch watching countless shows of which I have no interest.

The television has become the biggest form of advertising in this country, the shows that are popular influence our culture by wht is worn and what is said. I wonder sometimes that if the television was turned off, what would the effects be. If president obama recomended substituting one hour of TV watching to one hour of voulenteering would our country be any better, would we miss and long for our shows if they no longer existed. Because we almost feel that they are 'OUR' shows, people say I was watching my show last night to those friends familiar enought to know what they are talking about. There is not the question 'what show?' for my show is, my show at least in my head.

This idea makes me think about one of my favorite Jim Carrey movies, 'The Cable Guy' a splendid black comedy where Elliot Gould yells out in one scene 'I would have said schlong'. Well it's all based on the fact that Jim Carrey was raised in a home where the TV was a surrogate baby sitter. This is probably not unlike many homes in america today. In SOuth Korea that have internet addiction camps for shildren, prehaps there needs to be a similar thing for children of today.