Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns • Hacker News Board

Re: Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns

#301

Post by anigbrowl » Tue, May 23, 2023, 7:27 PM UTC

somethingreen wrote: post #275

zackmorris wrote: post #173

D.A.R.E. to Keep Kids Off Social Media Wages stagnated since 1980. Rents doubling every decade. Dead-end service jobs. Unpayable student loans. Social Security payments going to IOUs instead of retirements. Lying politicians and chief corporate officers making bank on the backs of the working poor. 30% credit card interest. Delaying childbirth to make rent until it's too late. GMO and processed foods poisoning giving…

The idea that any of these would normally worry an average young teen is hilarious to me. I grew up during cold war, USSR collapse, multiple wars in the region. At no point was I (or any of my peers to my knowledge) gravely concerned for our future. Because none of us yet had any idea what our normal future is supposed to look like. The only way these mild horrors get into children heads is, again, through social med…

I grew up in approximately the same period and grim possibilities, along with local economic problems to a lesser extent, were certainly a concern for me and my peers. Other risks existed as well, kids in my neighborhood school died of drug overdoses, accidents, and medical problems. Others had to deal with poverty, abusive parents, or a family member behind bars. Back then middle aged people blamed television your any despondency among youth. I imagine previous generations blamed radio and newspapers.

The only way these mild horrors get into children heads is, again, through social media.

School shootings are such a regular feature of American life that every school holds safety drills for the risk. I don't think all children get to enjoy the same sort of carefree bubble that you did. Media certainly amplifies the awareness of problems but many kids are far better informed than many adults admit, or want to be themselves.

Re: Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns

#302

Post by [deleted] » Tue, May 23, 2023, 7:28 PM UTC

uoaei wrote: post #279

interroboink wrote: post #265

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> At 3° the oceans die. I appreciate that it's hard to communicate fuzzy concepts with lots of unknowns succinctly, but this seems overly-alarmist and simplistic to me. Or maybe I'm wrong; do you have some reputable sources? Here's one of mine[1], indicating (paraphrased) "5° by 2100 would result in a mass extinction in the next 300 years." And I'd note that even mass extinction is not the same as "the oceans die." A…

* sharks and bat rays in the SF bay were dying of a brain fungus that resulted from decreased salinity from the excessive rain we got a couple months ago * the size and severity of algal blooms are increasing across the world * this year's crab season was delayed (initially predicted to be nonexistent) because the ocean currents and especially the depth of cold waters changed so drastically from last year etc., etc.…

[deleted]

Re: Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns

#303

Post by anigbrowl » Tue, May 23, 2023, 7:31 PM UTC

ericmcer wrote: post #262

zackmorris wrote: post #173

D.A.R.E. to Keep Kids Off Social Media Wages stagnated since 1980. Rents doubling every decade. Dead-end service jobs. Unpayable student loans. Social Security payments going to IOUs instead of retirements. Lying politicians and chief corporate officers making bank on the backs of the working poor. 30% credit card interest. Delaying childbirth to make rent until it's too late. GMO and processed foods poisoning giving…

People aren’t generally affected by issues that are out of sight like those you list. A classmate saying something critical about an teenagers appearance will be 100x more impactful than the rainforests imminent disappearance.

Things like pollution, food price inflation, and craptastic government policies are far from out of sight because they impact families directly, even if teens don't fully appreciate all the ramifications.

Re: Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns

#304

Post by marcusverus » Tue, May 23, 2023, 7:32 PM UTC

demindiro wrote: post #281

somethingreen wrote: post #275

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The idea that any of these would normally worry an average young teen is hilarious to me. I grew up during cold war, USSR collapse, multiple wars in the region. At no point was I (or any of my peers to my knowledge) gravely concerned for our future. Because none of us yet had any idea what our normal future is supposed to look like. The only way these mild horrors get into children heads is, again, through social med…

We have a hot war right now on the border of the EU that likely will escalate further. I'm sure China has plans too.

Why would China have plans? China is well on their way to becoming the unrivaled military power of the world in the next couple of decades. All they have to do is wait and let the current trends play out. The only possible way to derail their ascent is a premature war--economic or otherwise--with the west.

Re: Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns

#305

Post by Loquebantur » Tue, May 23, 2023, 7:33 PM UTC

somethingreen wrote: post #275

zackmorris wrote: post #173

D.A.R.E. to Keep Kids Off Social Media Wages stagnated since 1980. Rents doubling every decade. Dead-end service jobs. Unpayable student loans. Social Security payments going to IOUs instead of retirements. Lying politicians and chief corporate officers making bank on the backs of the working poor. 30% credit card interest. Delaying childbirth to make rent until it's too late. GMO and processed foods poisoning giving…

The idea that any of these would normally worry an average young teen is hilarious to me. I grew up during cold war, USSR collapse, multiple wars in the region. At no point was I (or any of my peers to my knowledge) gravely concerned for our future. Because none of us yet had any idea what our normal future is supposed to look like. The only way these mild horrors get into children heads is, again, through social med…

Things can kill your fast or slow, right now or in the distant future. You end up dead regardless, so you need to avoid them all.

Also, you seem to conflate locally and personally with globally and universally relevant.

Threats are diverse and not restricted to being simplistic. Proper handling necessitates serious effort on all levels and certainly isn't done by relying on tradition.

Re: Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns

#306

Post by badpun » Tue, May 23, 2023, 7:34 PM UTC

WarOnPrivacy wrote: post #234

wetmore wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm with you that these are major issues, and ones that impact my mental health as someone in my 30s, but I sort of doubt these problems are the main contributors to the mental health crises among young people. Social media and phones have had a huge negative impact on the amount of time young people spend together in person and have amplified the stakes of one's social life. Maybe I'm forgetting what it was like to…

> Social media and phones have had a huge negative impact on the amount of time young people spend together in person and have amplified the stakes of one's social life Social media and phones are what youth had left, after adults systemically wiped out every inch of their development environment. I'm an early genx; the last generation to grow up free of constant supervision. I went everywhere by myself and learned c…

> That is, my kids risked their parents being charged if they were capably on their own. My kids had nowhere to go if they tried to be independent. Were my kids to risk having some ambition, they also risked adult-sized punishments for kid-sized transgressions.

I'm not from the US, so my question is sincere. Is the situation the same across all states? You'd think the states self-describing as "freedom loving" wouldn't interfere with parenthood as much.

Re: Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns

#307

Post by WarOnPrivacy » Tue, May 23, 2023, 7:36 PM UTC

quickcheque wrote: post #296

system16 wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is just anecdotal but I remember when I was growing up there were always a few kids in school who had extremely restrictive parents like this (strictly controlled their TV, phone, time with friends, searched their rooms, etc.) On the surface, it seemed like it was effective and they had model kids. But in every case I can remember it resulted in the kids just becoming much better at finding ways to rebel (in inc…

How about the ones that were allowed to do whatever they wanted? Where are they now?

That'd be me. With adults out of the way, I learned to be self-sufficient and I learned how to navigate complex social situations on my own. In short, I learned how to think. Whatever stuff in my life worked out well - I can trace it all to that.

My 5 kids had always-present parenting (because independent growth became effectively illegal+impossible). Being it's such a counterproductive situation, it required strictness to pull it off.

They're adults now and all live with me.

Re: Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns

#308

Post by worik » Tue, May 23, 2023, 7:37 PM UTC

somethingreen wrote: post #275

zackmorris wrote: post #173

D.A.R.E. to Keep Kids Off Social Media Wages stagnated since 1980. Rents doubling every decade. Dead-end service jobs. Unpayable student loans. Social Security payments going to IOUs instead of retirements. Lying politicians and chief corporate officers making bank on the backs of the working poor. 30% credit card interest. Delaying childbirth to make rent until it's too late. GMO and processed foods poisoning giving…

The idea that any of these would normally worry an average young teen is hilarious to me. I grew up during cold war, USSR collapse, multiple wars in the region. At no point was I (or any of my peers to my knowledge) gravely concerned for our future. Because none of us yet had any idea what our normal future is supposed to look like. The only way these mild horrors get into children heads is, again, through social med…

Not me

I was terrified my entire adolescence by the prospect of nuclear war

Re: Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns

#309

Post by badpun » Tue, May 23, 2023, 7:39 PM UTC

quickcheque wrote: post #296

system16 wrote: post #242

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is just anecdotal but I remember when I was growing up there were always a few kids in school who had extremely restrictive parents like this (strictly controlled their TV, phone, time with friends, searched their rooms, etc.) On the surface, it seemed like it was effective and they had model kids. But in every case I can remember it resulted in the kids just becoming much better at finding ways to rebel (in inc…

How about the ones that were allowed to do whatever they wanted? Where are they now?

I was pretty much allowed to do whatever I wanted. Overall, I was punished only once in my teenage years (was told I had to skip a ski trip because I came home very drunk one night, at 15 or 16 yo). All in all I'd say I did pretty good, I'm already FIREd at 42 years old.

Re: Social media can be a ‘profound risk’ to youth, surgeon general warns

#310

Post by dingnuts » Tue, May 23, 2023, 7:39 PM UTC

badpun wrote: post #300

mtalantikite wrote: post #250

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd maybe put the doubling of rent every decade up there at the top as the thing that causes the most mental health harm. I'm in my late 30s and remember moving to NYC in 2007, when seeing two bedroom apartments in Brooklyn for $1200/month seemed expensive but doable. Now I hear of young people paying that for a room in a shared apartment, or end up moving back in with their parents. Add to that other costs of existi…

It's simple - Brooklyn just became a trendy place in the meantime. And so, of course it's overpriced. Smart people don't overpay for things - the solution is just to live somewhere else. 99.9% of places are not trendy and thus not overpriced. There are thousands of cities in the US, and maybe 10-20 of them are so popular that everyone wants to live there. Of course the prices in those places are going to be crazy - y…

> 99.9% of places are not trendy and thus not overpriced.

IDK man I've seen rents and land prices skyrocket in places like Franklin NC. You know what's in Franklin NC? Nothing.

I don't have an explanation for that, and I don't think it's limited to trendy places