Sunday, June 10, 2018

Meet the 'indoor generation' of America's industrial revolution


Basking in coal dust

Breaker boys.  Photographer Lewis Hine documented the life of the young boys who went to work at mills, mines and other hazardous places for the promise of a day’s pay of a measly amount of coin. The soot stained faces of the boys tell it all.  (Lomography)

The “Indoor Generation” and the health risks of spending more time inside.  (USA Today, 5/15/2018)
While modern amenities have undoubtedly made life easier on many accounts, there’s a key element of the above scenario that’s a major departure from human behavior throughout any other point in history: Over the course of the past 200 years, workers have migrated from workplaces like fields and farms to factories and offices. Instead of basking in natural sunlight, many people today are spending the majority of their time basking in the glow of some kind of screen, which puts us out of sync with natural circadian rhythms. In addition, modern society prioritizes high-pressure careers, and an always-on attitude when it comes to work and social life — which disturbs natural biological rhythms even further.

Source of Lewis Hine photoPinternest

Related reading:
The Industrial Revolution in America.  (History of Massachusette Blog, 4/11/2018)

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