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

nytimes.com

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

#281

Post by demindiro »

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…

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.

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

#282

Post by SirMaster »

mtalantikite wrote: post #250
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…

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…

Dang, I guess I am lucky in Wisconsin?

My 2-bedroom rent has increased only ~23.33% in 13 years, from 815 to currently 1005.

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

#283

Post by wonderwonder »

syndacks wrote: post #256
wonderwonder wrote: post #136

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hear what you are saying but I'm not seeking to isolate my kids at all. Today's "moral puritanism" is yesterday's raising kids to understand right from wrong and what makes a good man. They hang out with friends, play on sports teams, take academic extra curriculars. The only thing I limit is social media. Social media is not a nice introduction to different views, it's an aggressive shotgun blast with the worst ki…

Serious question, what does it mean to be a good man? Or at least, what/who are you pointing your son to in this regard? I fear we don’t have many forums or role models for being a good man, which is complicated by, IMO, the chorus coming from the left which seeks to demonize “toxic masculinity”. As an atheist I’m seriously considering if we all need some more Jesus in our lives, or some figure (real or not) who can…

The value of a "good man" must be set by the parents. It can change based on who those parents are. If parents don't define what it means then the kid will figure it out based on other influences. The negative of this is often seen when there is an absent father. In that case unfortunately the mother has to work twice as hard with no support.

For me, (athiest as well) I'm slightly right of center or probably right smack in the middle of what used to be the center a decade ago. I don't think there is such a thing as toxic masculinity.

I teach my kids that to be a man means: being kind to those less fortunate than you or even to those that you disagree with. I teach them that if someone puts a hand on you or someone you care about then all bets are off, fight until they can't continue or you can't. To lose is to risk death when not in a controlled environment (boxing ring, etc). Don't be a bully either physically or emotionally. No one is better than you. Never let anyone shame you for what you are. Always try your best. Look after the people that rely on you. You live the life that you earn.

There is more but that's the gist. Essentially boys look at their father to learn what a man is. If he is absent or does not give them attention they will seek validation else where.

Note: I'm not an expert, just a guy doing the best he can with 2 elementary school age boys.

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

#284

Post by foobarian »

yamtaddle wrote: post #280
foobarian wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is how you raise a generation that thinks intrusive monitoring and zero privacy is perfectly normal, or even worse craves it.

Maybe it's how you raise a generation that understands you shouldn't post a single thing online that you don't want the whole world to know about. Prior generations have entirely failed to understand that, certainly (cf. Zuckerberg's infamous "dumb fucks" comment—which, go figure, we know about because he sent it as an instant message)

Funny thing is (IIRC) he sent it over IRC, which as far as these things go is relatively ephemeral :-)

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

#285

Post by lezojeda »

gsk22 wrote: post #257
StrangeATractor wrote: post #228

A lot of comments in this thread remind of cigarette companies dismissing health concerns with tobacco. In my circle of friends and family I've seen the majority of them go from being people you could talk to and spend time with to people that just stare at their phones constantly, I've heard others say the same about their circles. Parents let Youtube raise their kids because they don't want to get their eyes off th…

It's hard not to notice that this is essentially the same argument people made against TV ("the boob tube"). People just stare at the TV constantly. Parents let the TV raise their kids. People watch TV even on vacation. TV has made kids stupid. And it probably goes back further -- can you believe the parents letting radio raise their kids? Don't get me started on the children who spend all day staring at words in a b…

[dead]

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

#286

Post by slothtrop »

yumraj wrote: post #240
slothtrop wrote: post #222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Teenagers also want and value privacy. Or have you forgotten what it's like?

> Or have you forgotten what it's like? We're simply talking privacy in the digital context. When I was a teenager the world looked different so I had N/A for digital privacy.

> the world looked different

You're justifying invasion of privacy with vagueries about "the world being different". This isn't saying anything.

Growing up in the 90s we had a home computer, and by extension, digital privacy.

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

#287

Post by Ekaros »

youreincorrect wrote: post #184
pixl97 wrote: post #167

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And what about the ones that didn't? Otherwise you're just talking about survivorship bias.

I flatly refuse any argument that assumes buying your kid a smartphone and allowing them on social media will solve their problems of social isolation. If a child is socially isolated from their peers, that is sad, and I personally do not know how to help them. But I still don't buy the argument that FB, Insta, TikTok, etc. are the solution because, what, their peers are on them? Also, if some of these kids are being…

At least with schools there was the school day and trip there and home. After that you were probably alone and not constantly connected even on weekends.

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

#288

Post by beerpls »

StrangeATractor wrote: post #228

A lot of comments in this thread remind of cigarette companies dismissing health concerns with tobacco. In my circle of friends and family I've seen the majority of them go from being people you could talk to and spend time with to people that just stare at their phones constantly, I've heard others say the same about their circles. Parents let Youtube raise their kids because they don't want to get their eyes off th…

Excellent perspective, not only do the corps have unrealistic standards of evidence, but when they’re questioned by political leaders they outright lie. ex fb claimed they didn’t design their software to hack the dopamine/serotonin systems and the politicians just said “ok”. like what?

We’re living in times where no one is held accountable. Literally billions of lives are being destroyed or seriously damaged for relatively minor profits (per damage caused anyway). When will it change? The populace is so powerless and the politicians are so evil… it’s perfectly understandable why nihilism is so embraced these days

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