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You didn't describe a 1998 style of living, you described roughing it.You mean the grandparent did. What they said isn't about permanent living, but about something one can do as a kind of break, and they (and I for that matter) thinks beneficial for the children too: "Go somewhere distant from technology, forage/hunt food, make a meal over an open fire, and sleep under the stars - so vital for a child's psychological well-being."
We used to call those things "going cabing/fishing/hunting/backpacking in the wild" etc, back before 1995 and throughout the 20th century -- and we did them without cellphones or game consoles, and most things. Usually it was a great parent/kid bonding memory too. Sleeping under the stars, making a meal open an open fire, fishing/hunting for food and eating local stuff (from trees etc), were all perfectly normal. Heck, several people I know, in my age and younger (40 to 20-something) still do a lot of those things, go camping, etc. Are they considered inconceivable savagery today?
>That seems to be two entirely opposite things. If you want to say "cell phones bad", just say that - don't pretend it is because of a desire to be better and healthier for children.
You probably confused my response to your comment, to what the grandparent wrote first. Note however, that neither me, nor the grandparent mentioned anything about some permanent retreat from technology. Grandparent basically said - as I read it - "do this X things in nature, without technology, from time to time. It's good for you, and good for the children to learn those things and to not think they're nothing without technology".
That said, nor sure about the distinction you're making here: "If you want to say "cell phones bad", just say that - don't pretend it is because of a desire to be better and healthier for children.".
If I believe that cell phones are bad, I'd naturally also believe spending some time without them is better and healthier for children. So saying one or the other would be based on the same idea.
But you don't have to think "cell phones are bad". It's enough to think that cell phones are not only great, but also have downsides, or that however good cell phones are, one also needs to appreciate / be able to do without them too. It's about not being a slave to one's tech.