has the smartphone destroyed a generation

[Spiny Norman]

We need to learn how to live with them in a healthy way. I think it's possible but requires discipline in terms of usage.

Quite a lot of discipline from what I have observed. Smartphone use appears very addictive, I see more and more people with their smartphone permanently in their hand, like they cannot bear to be disconnected for even a minute.

[binocular]

IMO, that SOMETHING may be related to a drastic increase in the rate of change over time.

...

The social fabric seems to be unraveling under the onslaught of too much information and no knowlege

I think you pretty much nailed it.

If too much information and no knowlege are what can unravel the social fabric, then the social fabric is awfully weak to begin with.

[dharmacorps]

I heard a Bhikkhu talk some time ago, he said one of the main things people came to him for consultation about was other people's behavior on social media. That left an impression on me.

[binocular]

And if people would spend a lot of time in spas, or in Italy, then they'd ask bhikkhus about social issues with people in spas or in Italy.
People are simply often interested in people, the rest is just circumstances.

[Justsit]

IMO, that SOMETHING may be related to a drastic increase in the rate of change over time.

...

The social fabric seems to be unraveling under the onslaught of too much information and no knowlege

I think you pretty much nailed it.

If too much information and no knowledge are what can unravel the social fabric, then the social fabric is awfully weak to begin with.

The complete paragraph was not included in the poster's quote.

"The social fabric seems to be unraveling under the onslaught of too much information and no knowledge, and even less wisdom; too much input with no time to analyze and assess, then act based on those processes. Info in, process and act RIGHT NOW, on to the next thing, as if humans are computers. No wonder we're stressed and kids are confused and anxious."

The social fabric in the US began unraveling earlier, back in the 60's and 70's. The computer age has merely sped up the process. So yes, the US social fabric has been weakened. I don't claim to speak for other countries.

[Kim OHara]

https://www.huffingtonpost.com/cris-row ... 99218.html could also be relevant for some of us.

The American Academy of Pediatrics and the Canadian Society of Pediatrics state infants aged 0-2 years should not have any exposure to technology, 3-5 years be restricted to one hour per day, and 6-18 years restricted to 2 hours per day (AAP 2001/13, CPS 2010). Children and youth use 4-5 times the recommended amount of technology, with serious and often life threatening consequences (Kaiser Foundation 2010, Active Healthy Kids Canada 2012). Handheld devices (cell phones, tablets, electronic games) have dramatically increased the accessibility and usage of technology, especially by very young children (Common Sense Media, 2013). As a pediatric occupational therapist, I’m calling on parents, teachers and governments to ban the use of all handheld devices for children under the age of 12 years. Following are 10 research-based reasons for this ban. Please visit zonein.ca to view the Zone’in Fact Sheet for referenced research. ...

Kim

[Pseudobabble]

I think you pretty much nailed it.

If too much information and no knowledge are what can unravel the social fabric, then the social fabric is awfully weak to begin with.

The complete paragraph was not included in the poster's quote.

"The social fabric seems to be unraveling under the onslaught of too much information and no knowledge, and even less wisdom; too much input with no time to analyze and assess, then act based on those processes. Info in, process and act RIGHT NOW, on to the next thing, as if humans are computers. No wonder we're stressed and kids are confused and anxious."

The social fabric in the US began unraveling earlier, back in the 60's and 70's. The computer age has merely sped up the process. So yes, the US social fabric has been weakened. I don't claim to speak for other countries.

You're completely right, in my opinion. the current rate of change over time is much too fast for creatures whose 'proper' environment is the African veldt of 30,000 years ago, and the rate is increasing.

This speed of change is making people too anxious, and I believe it is the underlying cause of many of the 'new' problems we have today.

If too much information and no knowledge are what can unravel the social fabric, then the social fabric is awfully weak to begin with.

The social fabric is very strong, under 'normal' conditions. It can absorb wars, migrations, natural disasters, etc. But if constantly, continually subjected to pressure, it will weaken, lose its ability to absorb variance, and break, like rubber left in the sun.

[cjmacie]

IMO, that SOMETHING may be related to a drastic increase in the rate of change over time.

...

The social fabric seems to be unraveling under the onslaught of too much information and no knowlege

I think you pretty much nailed it.

If too much information and no knowlege are what can unravel the social fabric, then the social fabric is awfully weak to begin with.

Suggesting "understanding" as a word to consider here. "Information" (or "data" maybe) is rather close to "knowledge".

(Using a schema learned long ago, that a good approximation of the mental stages runs: knowledge --> understanding --> wisdom.)

[Upeksha]

I read that when it was published ~ The Atlantic quite likes a bit of tech bashing.

And so do I!

I don't think it's just a generation. I think it's across the generations.

[binocular]

The social fabric is very strong, under 'normal' conditions. It can absorb wars, migrations, natural disasters, etc. But if constantly, continually subjected to pressure, it will weaken, lose its ability to absorb variance, and break, like rubber left in the sun.

But what are "normal" conditions? Those from before 100 years ago? Those from 1,000, 10,000 years ago?

In scientific literature, the argument is sometimes made that the human brain is at the evolutionary stage it was in back in the days of hunting and gathering an that this is at least part of the reason why people have difficulty to keep up with technology and why technology seems to have such a damaging effect. That might be the case, but it cannot be the only reason. One major difference between then and now is not often mentioned: back then, life expectancy was much lower and infant death rates much higher. In other words, relatively fewer people survived, and the relatively few that made it into adulthood were probably better equipped for life. Arguably, it's in some crucial way the same nowadays, except that those less fit are still alive, while back then they would have died. As it has always seemed to be, there is a percentage of those fit for life, and perhaps this percentage remains constant. What seems to weaken the social fabric is that there are more people alive than is evolutionarily optimal.

[binocular]

Suggesting "understanding" as a word to consider here. "Information" (or "data" maybe) is rather close to "knowledge".

(Using a schema learned long ago, that a good approximation of the mental stages runs: knowledge --> understanding --> wisdom.)

Bloom's taxonomy might be helpful to distinguish the terms.

[chownah]

Well, the jitterbug destroyed one generation and rock and roll destroyed one generation and grunge destroyed one generation......I guess its ok for the smartphone to destroy one too but it is difficult to dance to a smart phone.....
chownah

[binocular]

destroyed one generation

But how exactly is anything "destroying" a generation? As long as one generation produces another, it, clearly, is not a destroyed generation.

[Mkoll]

Thanks for sharing this article.

[Circle5]

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.