The World Isn’t Entirely Awful

Theodore’s assertion this morning—The Entire World Is Awful—was kind of a downer, wasn’t it? While I’m sure he meant well, I’ve come across a couple of pieces of evidence that the world, while still mostly shit, has a couple of good points. For example, did you know that children “still enjoy playing traditional games like skipping and clapping in the playground despite the lure of mobile phones, computer games, and television”?

It’s true! So say British researchers at the Universities of East London, Sheffield and the Institute of Education:

Their study showed that children still spend their school breaktimes singing the songs that have been circulating for decades, although they sometimes update them by inserting references to the latest pop stars and soap characters.

Dancing also remains a favorite playground pastime, but children now like to base their routines on acts like Michael Jackson or Disney’s hit film “High School Musical,” they said.

Other classic activities still drawing in the crowds at playtime include tig, skipping, clapping, rhymes and make-believe games, while the hula-hoop is making a come-back.

The hula-hoop! You know, for kids!

Still, I wonder if the games of my own childhood have survived into the modern era. Do kids still play “Smell My Finger”? Or “Beat the Geek”? Or “Hey, Matt, Go Tell That Kid Whose Dad Just Died That His Dad’s a Gigolo”? The heartwarming answer, I have to assume, is yes.

But if that doesn’t convince you the world has its good points, there’s also this:

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About Matt

Matt Gross writes about travel and food for the New York Times, Saveur, Gourmet, and Afar, where he is a Contributing Writer. When he’s not on the road, he’s with his wife, Jean, and daughter, Sasha, in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn.

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