Reply #52: What GuiderGlider said plus more

[Mabus]

People don't seem to spend a lot of time outside anymore. I mean, when I was a kid it was common to spend part of the evening out on the front porch or taking walks around the neighborhood. Now, when I take the dogs out for walks, it is pretty rare to see anyone else out walking (except for other people with dogs). In my neighborhood (I live in an older established neighborhood, a lot of the homes were build in the 1880's) there are still some people who hang out on front porches in the evenings but it isn't the norm anymore. People are either watching tv or cruising on the net.

And to add to what you said, I remember being at my grandma's house (about half a mile from where I currently live) and spending summer nights being treated to fantastic lightning bug displays. It was like looking at the stars, they were everywhere. Now, not so much. Then again, I'm still old enough to remember when people spent evening weeding their yards. Now only one person in the household goes out and sprays the lawn with chemicals. Viola! No more evening weeding/bonding/whining sessions.