Power of the Legend - Anatomy Essays - English Essays

Over the years our culture has passed on hundreds of urban legends to thousands of people. Some of these urban legends do happen to be true, but most are simply for entertainment purposes. They are intended to frighten, delight, or intrigue listeners and whether true or not, most of the audience find themselves captivated. One such legend that states “a man starved to death because he refused to leave his computer long enough to eat (Snopes)” serves as a cautionary tale.
The legend states that Childress H. Wanamaker, a fifty-four year old account executive from New York, was so mesmerized and tempted by the virtual world that even though his wife brought him

food, he would not take the brief time to eat. It has been said that after weeks of this infatuation, Childress died of starvation. This farcical urban legend has no validation and is not an accurate truth. However, there is a strong moral lesson to be attained from this tale.
Our culture is drawn to this type of story because most of us can relate in one way or another. It may be comical to some computer users, but it certainly hits close to home for many others. With computers and the Internet being so easily accessible in our society, it is all too easy to take computer use too far and become addicted. In fact, “Some experts say that approximately 1-5% of all Internet users are “addicted” (UTD)”.
The moral of this legend is to warn computer users who may find themselves or their loved ones spending a little too much time on-line. With the number of children becoming so familiar with the Internet, and the fact that anything is accessible, it can be a dangerous place to play. Let this tale be a valuable lesson for anyone suffering from carpal tunnel out there- spend time on the Internet as needed, but never at the expense of responsibilities in “the real world”.