It is a popular notion that modern humans have somehow fallen out of touch with nature and are too dependent on technology and too influenced by culture and its evolution over time. "Turn off your computer and go hug a tree."

However, we have hard evidence that for at least the past 2 million years hominids have been "out of touch with nature" and so fragile as to need technology to survive. It is reasonable to surmise that australopithecines were at least as (biodegradable) technophilic as modern day chimpanzees are (using unmodified rocks as nutcrackers, leaves as sponges and toilet paper, and twigs/sticks as fishing apparatus for termites). That pushes our addiction to tech back to 4 million years.

So, are we ready yet to just let this myth go?