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I have a secret that I've held for a couple of years now, but I don't actually understand what touching grass means. I get the general gist is sort of "get back

I have a secret that I've held for a couple of years now, but I don't actually understand what touching grass means. I get the general gist is sort of "get back to reality" or something along those lines, but I'm always sort of confused about it. Is there any chance you can explain it? It's weird being the same age as old people.

adastra22 2y ago
As someone allergic to grass, I'm in the same boat. Would love an explanation as to why "touch grass" has positive meaning.
- NeutralCrane 2y ago
  It’s just a colloquialism for disconnecting and engaging with the “real world”. Touching grass is just a stand in for getting outside, which represents reality, as opposed to being consumed by life online.
kombookcha 2y ago
When you tell somebody to touch grass, you're basically telling them that they're becoming overly swept up in something on their screen to the detriment of their mental health and social wellbeing. It might as well be "go call your dad", because the gist is just for you to remove yourself from a situation that's clearly causing you to disconnect from reality, either to your detriment or the annoyance of people around you. Like that's the baseline that's relevant whether you're saying it to some kid screaming in a video game lobby or some middle aged dude who's going off his rocker in the facebook comment section of his local newspaper. 'You're embarrassing yourself and you need to get some perspective, because the things you're saying don't make sense, and you'll see that if you walk away from the machine for a bit.'
HeatrayEnjoyer 2y ago
It means leave your gloomy room where the only light soures are screens and your only (social) activity is on the internet.
worthless-trash 2y ago
The person saying it is discrediting what you're talking about as non important. What they really mean is: "your problem is not important to me" Because they dont understand your problem, different people have different problems, the people saying it usually have a very narrow/priviledged life.
thristian 2y ago
Pretty sure it just means "touching grass", as in "step away from the computer, walk outside, put your hand on a patch of grass". Previous generations might say "stop and smell the roses", although that idiom is generally less literal.
- card_zero 2y ago
  Though also a less weird-looking thing to do.

adastra22 2y ago

As someone allergic to grass, I'm in the same boat. Would love an explanation as to why "touch grass" has positive meaning.

NeutralCrane 2y ago
It’s just a colloquialism for disconnecting and engaging with the “real world”. Touching grass is just a stand in for getting outside, which represents reality, as opposed to being consumed by life online.

kombookcha 2y ago

When you tell somebody to touch grass, you're basically telling them that they're becoming overly swept up in something on their screen to the detriment of their mental health and social wellbeing. It might as well be "go call your dad", because the gist is just for you to remove yourself from a situation that's clearly causing you to disconnect from reality, either to your detriment or the annoyance of people around you. Like that's the baseline that's relevant whether you're saying it to some kid screaming in a video game lobby or some middle aged dude who's going off his rocker in the facebook comment section of his local newspaper. 'You're embarrassing yourself and you need to get some perspective, because the things you're saying don't make sense, and you'll see that if you walk away from the machine for a bit.'

HeatrayEnjoyer 2y ago

It means leave your gloomy room where the only light soures are screens and your only (social) activity is on the internet.

worthless-trash 2y ago

The person saying it is discrediting what you're talking about as non important. What they really mean is: "your problem is not important to me" Because they dont understand your problem, different people have different problems, the people saying it usually have a very narrow/priviledged life.

thristian 2y ago

Pretty sure it just means "touching grass", as in "step away from the computer, walk outside, put your hand on a patch of grass". Previous generations might say "stop and smell the roses", although that idiom is generally less literal.

card_zero 2y ago
Though also a less weird-looking thing to do.