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The Terrible Costs of a Phone-Based Childhood (www.theatlantic.com)

submitted 9 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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By a variety of measures and in a variety of countries, the members of Generation Z (born in and after 1996) are suffering from anxiety, depression, self-harm, and related disorders at levels higher than any other generation for which we have data.

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[–] [email protected] 34 points 9 months ago (3 children)

Sure the phones are to blame and not the shitty world with never ending economic crises and wars everywhere and probably unhappy, stressed out parents fighting all the time.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 9 months ago

Also, the fact that technology makes it easier to actually collect data on stuff like depression etc and people are more encouraged to speak about it, as opposed to previous "it's life, man up and take it" generations' attitude...

[–] [email protected] 6 points 9 months ago* (last edited 9 months ago)

Unethical twin studies are illegal for very good reasons, but I'd be curious about the results of the following hypothetical (albeit flawed) study:

Twin 1: raised in a small village fishing/farming community that disallows internet access, but allows full unfettered access to a vast library.
Twin 2: raised in a heavily populated coastal city with a smartphone from age 6.

A constant, instant stream of knowledge of horrific things happening hundreds or thousands of miles from you, and the barrage of social media toxicity, must come a negative mindset about the world. I don't see any way it doesn't. Sure there is wholesome and humble content on every platform, but the vast majority is either neutral or negative, and negativity generally spreads much faster than neutral or positive; it's the human condition.

It affects everyone, but your reality will be much different if it's been affecting you since you could, quite literally, remember.

I've seen multiple grassroots efforts of insightful teens who recognize this and are going dumbphone-only. Those kids are the future I'd place my bet on.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 9 months ago

Social media is designed to be a vice. Its not suprising it causes depression