has the smartphone destroyed a generation

[Virgo]

We're living in a mobile world.

Kevin

[Justsit]

We're living in a mobile world.

A lot of young people seem to be living primarily in a virtual world. They may have lots of "friends" online, but often have few in "Real Life."

How many of those "friends" will bring them soup when they're ill, or give them a ride when needed, or give them a hug when they're sad, or someday come to their wedding?

And even with the physical isolation of suburbia mentioned above - it's interesting to watch a table full of young people at a club or restaurant - they're all staring at a screen. Even when in the same room, there's no personal interaction, no dancing, just staring at the pretty moving colors. No wonder so many have ADHD and social anxiety.

Technology should be a means, not an end. IMO, of course.

[Virgo]

We're living in a mobile world.

A lot of young people seem to be living primarily in a virtual world. They may have lots of "friends" online, but often have few in "Real Life."

How many of those "friends" will bring them soup when they're ill, or give them a ride when needed, or give them a hug when they're sad, or someday come to their wedding?

And even with the physical isolation of suburbia mentioned above - it's interesting to watch a table full of young people at a club or restaurant - they're all staring at a screen. Even when in the same room, there's no personal interaction, no dancing, just staring at the pretty moving colors. No wonder so many have ADHD and social anxiety.

Technology should be a means, not an end. IMO, of course.

That's their prerogative. Just as long as they don't starting offing themselves more often, which the study seems to show they are, unfortunately. Nothing is going to change the mobile world. A few decades from now we will be part android. Times change. You have to adapt and overcome in this world. You have have kids invite them to have their friends over, and have them go outside and play, other than that, I don't think there is much we can do.

Kevin

[binocular]

That's their prerogative. Just as long as they don't starting offing themselves more often, which the study seems to show they are, unfortunately.

Evolutionary natural selection ...

[alan]

Smart phones make people stupid.

[Pseudobabble]

Smart phones make people stupid.

Finally we agree on something.

[binocular]

If only stupid phones would make people smart ...

[No_Mind]

In USA, there is also the problem of living in suburbia instead of normal cities like in Europe. This means severe isolation for everybody in general but especially for kids. There are 2 problems suburbia causes to kids:

- no friends nearby, or not enough of them. Living in a neighbourghood made out of houses is different than a neighbourhood made out of 5 to 11 story buildings. There are no big groups of kids hanging around every flatblock if you live in suburbia. There are few opportunities to have a social live outside of school.

- besides the lack of people, there are no places to hang out. There is no public space, no flatblock squeres, no football field 100 meters away from your home, etc. There is simply no place to hang out for kids.


The rise of smartphones and social media surely has a big influence. Kids stay on these things non stop in my place too, but they continue to spend the biggest amount of time outside, with the big herd of kids that exists in every flatblock squere. For a kid living in complete isolation due to suburbia, there is just nothing else to do for them except for phones.

This negatie effect suburbia has on kids has been discussed for decades and is nothing knew. It's just that now you have smartphones and of course these isolated kids are gona stay on them.

So you are saying a kid growing up here -- middle of Calcutta



would have more friends than kid growing up here -- typical US suburb



Why?

In fact the kid from block of flats in Calcutta (me .. now a grown up) would be at a severe disadvantage having never known greenery .. never being able to see the sky .. never being able to see the blood moon or star-bedecked heavens .. never seeing any animal other than a rat or a stray cat ..

Sharing 800 sq ft with parents and another sibling (two in my case) is a pain that causes permanent PTSD (and 800 sq ft is a lot of space from London to Hongkong where there are no "McMansions" for middle class/upper middle class .. video below)



Two weeks ago on 23rd Feb I saw the night sky after 3 years or more (since I can only see the night sky when I am at least 40 miles from my home and in middle of nowhere .. my usual trips are from one giant city to smaller towns/cities .. each with attendant light pollution) .. do you not think that is worse than not having friends .. when I was a kid the bragging in that block of flats was about whose family owned a color tv and VCR .. now it is about whose family owns a 40 inch OLED tv .. not exactly the most healthy way to grow up

[alan]

Don't see how that addresses the point.