Is social media killing our kids?

VaughanJB

VaughanJB

Scrappy VIP
An interesting documentary that will no doubt cause some angst and incredulity. Still, it's worth watching to get an idea of how social media is changing society and the experience of our every day lives. It's 27 minutes long, so if you want to watch it, you'll need to set aside a little time.

 

I heard a professor from a University in the USA saying that one of the effects of social media was a surge in the numbers of young girls experiencing such depression that they were cutting themselves. He said it was the advent of Facebook and particularly Instagram that showed millions of snippets of 'perfect lives' and when young people compared their own lives, they felt like they were nothing, had nothing, were worth nothing.......very sad. I spend a lot of time online, and appreciate it for all the things I've learned through it, but I think it's not really good for us in the long run. At least not the social media aspect of it.
 
I honestly believe we'll get past this. My youngest grandkids are 14 and 16. They've been savvy about social media shenanigans for at least the past 2 years. They double-check everything to sus out facts from hoaxes and garbage. They even go to the school library and refer to books, and even ask an adult, usually a teacher who would know about the subject. Same with their friends. And if they hear that some kid at school is falling for any kind of BS he/she saw online, they get together and do an intervention.

And they aren't the only ones; it's a *thing* among preteens and young teenagers. It's a movement...a Junior Sherlock movement, and social media BS is the villain.
 

It can be expected that some people given the societal disadvantages and genetic differences between themselves and those considered most favored, most envied, most attractive, especially in physical attractiveness ways, given the ease to do so painlessly in this modern era, and being a topic within social media putting ideas into their heads, one ought readily expect more young people that realize they at least in their own mind, are losers without any hope, may act so.

After hundreds of millennium, homo sapiens has diverged evolutionarily enough over such a large planetary expanse with sea isolation barriers, that during our current science, technology era with planet wide transportation and communication, we are suddenly unfairly for the individuals in population exploding urban environments, mixing very unequal amounts of physical attractiveness, intelligence, based on early civilization wealthy and nobles that gained selective marriage advantages.

Thus the rise of warring kingdoms and concubines. And why planet wide, nobles and wealthy drove female facial beauty quickly such that IMO some [insert ethnic] women are on average just incredibly facially beautiful relative to what is average human female beauty, much less third world. Remarkable, considering why only a few tens of millennia ago we may have still been like caveman cartoons. And that is accurately reflected at the aesthetic level of human faces for those in a subsistence lifestyle in cold winter regions where physical facial beauty runs way down the list in reasons why two humans became mates.

The main issue I'll speculate in ancient times, was that once humans were able to form larger groups for cooperative work, men with wealth and power, also chose the most attractive females that will always be more about physical beauty. On Earth in just one region as an example, those in the Mesopotamian region, fled north from the powerful into the Black Sea of the Caucasus region. And once transportation was available along maritime regions, there were thriving slave trades for women, both willing and unwilling, to wealthy and powerful men. That has not surprisingly continued, though on the sly, into the recent era within Middle East seksual slavery harems.

Circassian beauty - Wikipedia
 
Last edited:
Somebody here, I am not sure if it was the police,
said that a combination of, social media and gangs,
were the cause of all the killings by stabbing.

Could be, I suppose.

Mike.
 
I think the idea that social media is killing our kids is an over-generalized view. Granted, it has been destructive in some individuals, but this is the case with so many addictions (Gambling, drugs, porn, shopping, eating, drinking, smoking, etc...). The question seems to boil down to: Why are some able to control those influences, and others are not?

It seems that what an addiction may come down to for most is the emotional and physical appeal of a substance or behavior at a particular moment in a personā€™s life. The effects of drugs and other influencers are pleasurable and rewarding only in relation to how a person feels emotionally and physically in the context of his, or her, relationships and social life, and other opportunities for development and reward.

If you feel satisfied and happy with your life, then seeking something else to titillate your senses becomes less of a draw. Your sense of well-being doesn't need a boost. I do think it helps to know the dangers of experimenting with things that can be addictive, but those who don't feel the need for it would naturally be less susceptible.

If that line of thinking is true, then perhaps the problem may be rooted in a young person's feeling about themselves, and general level of happiness. I'm not sure how much effort parents put into developing a healthy mindset in their teen's life. They may just give up trying because it can be so frustrating with the thinking and attitude of young minds. JMO
 
Debrah N. said:
I heard a professor from a University in the USA saying that one of the effects of social media was a surge in the numbers of young girls experiencing such depression that they were cutting themselves. He said it was the advent of Facebook and particularly Instagram that showed millions of snippets of 'perfect lives' and when young people compared their own lives, they felt like they were nothing, had nothing, were worth nothing.......very sad. I spend a lot of time online, and appreciate it for all the things I've learned through it, but I think it's not really good for us in the long run. At least not the social media aspect of it.
Click to expand...

When it comes to views of normality and ideals, it does seem that females are particularly affected by social pressure. Look at the crazy trends fueled by online chatter, such as the current teeth veneer craze. Long term it's a terrible thing. Then you come to the extreme of eating disorders, and influences who fake their lives and appearance through a combination of photoshop, filters, and being given medications for free so they can push them.

I was watching a woman presenter just yesterday on Youtube, and had to stop. She was likely in her 20's wearing a wig, with huge eyelashes, enormously long finger nails, and lips injected with I don't know how much filler. To me, it was a caricature of a person. Such is the fear of actually looking your age, teenagers are turning to cosmetic surgery to fit trends of beauty. Very sad.

Murrmurr said:
I honestly believe we'll get past this. My youngest grandkids are 14 and 16. They've been savvy about social media shenanigans for at least the past 2 years. They double-check everything to sus out facts from hoaxes and garbage. They even go to the school library and refer to books, and even ask an adult, usually a teacher who would know about the subject. Same with their friends. And if they hear that some kid at school is falling for any kind of BS he/she saw online, they get together and do an intervention.

And they aren't the only ones; it's a *thing* among preteens and young teenagers. It's a movement...a Junior Sherlock movement, and social media BS is the villain.
Click to expand...

With respect, I think this is the exception. It's also misleading. You see, for all the checking one can do, no matter what path you take, you are still in the control of the various algorithms designed specifically to collect data on you, and push you to whatever story/topic is "hot". They are used to both find information, and also to misdirect. The industry doesn't publish what these algorithms do because they're considered proprietary information - like Coke's secret recipe. There is simple no way to avoid getting caught up by them.

davey said:
we really need some psychologists views on this - anybody got any?
Click to expand...

I just posted a video above the quotes studies.

bobcat said:
I think the idea that social media is killing our kids is an over-generalized view. Granted, it has been destructive in some individuals, but this is the case with so many addictions (Gambling, drugs, porn, shopping, eating, drinking, smoking, etc...). The question seems to boil down to: Why are some able to control those influences, and others are not?

It seems that what an addiction may come down to for most is the emotional and physical appeal of a substance or behavior at a particular moment in a personā€™s life. The effects of drugs and other influencers are pleasurable and rewarding only in relation to how a person feels emotionally and physically in the context of his, or her, relationships and social life, and other opportunities for development and reward.

If you feel satisfied and happy with your life, then seeking something else to titillate your senses becomes less of a draw. Your sense of well-being doesn't need a boost. I do think it helps to know the dangers of experimenting with things that can be addictive, but those who don't feel the need for it would naturally be less susceptible.

If that line of thinking is true, then perhaps the problem may be rooted in a young person's feeling about themselves, and general level of happiness. I'm not sure how much effort parents put into developing a healthy mindset in their teen's life. They may just give up trying because it can be so frustrating with the thinking and attitude of young minds. JMO
Click to expand...

Thanks for this. I do think you're slightly incorrect though. I say that because it's important to remember that this addiction is only superficially the same as say, alcoholism. To quote the video I just posted, these devices rewire our brains and are designed to be addictive. Smartphones knows no age limits, no topic is out of bounds, and they are deliberately acting on our brains by releasing dopamine.

Think of this - there's another thread on the forum that talks about a book being banned from a school library. It's a books about same sex parents. Apparently, it's going to be too much for kids to handle. But the thing is, kids have their heads stuck to screens these days, do parents imagine any child couldn't Google the topic and get even more detailed and graphic information? The internet doesn't have a gateway to such things, you can't close the door. There is literally no limit to the pornography freely available on the net, and we're worried about a book in a library.
 
Murrmurr said:
I honestly believe we'll get past this. My youngest grandkids are 14 and 16. They've been savvy about social media shenanigans for at least the past 2 years. They double-check everything to sus out facts from hoaxes and garbage. They even go to the school library and refer to books, and even ask an adult, usually a teacher who would know about the subject. Same with their friends. And if they hear that some kid at school is falling for any kind of BS he/she saw online, they get together and do an intervention.

And they aren't the only ones; it's a *thing* among preteens and young teenagers. It's a movement...a Junior Sherlock movement, and social media BS is the villain.
Click to expand...


My granddaughters, same ages as yours, seem to have their heads on straight too .... they understand the constant barrage of nonsense thrown at them is just a part of life..

Sitting down and talking with them really can make my day. They enlighten and inspire me in my old age.
 
VaughanJB said:
When it comes to views of normality and ideals, it does seem that females are particularly affected by social pressure. Look at the crazy trends fueled by online chatter, such as the current teeth veneer craze. Long term it's a terrible thing. Then you come to the extreme of eating disorders, and influences who fake their lives and appearance through a combination of photoshop, filters, and being given medications for free so they can push them.

I was watching a woman presenter just yesterday on Youtube, and had to stop. She was likely in her 20's wearing a wig, with huge eyelashes, enormously long finger nails, and lips injected with I don't know how much filler. To me, it was a caricature of a person. Such is the fear of actually looking your age, teenagers are turning to cosmetic surgery to fit trends of beauty. Very sad.



With respect, I think this is the exception. It's also misleading. You see, for all the checking one can do, no matter what path you take, you are still in the control of the various algorithms designed specifically to collect data on you, and push you to whatever story/topic is "hot". They are used to both find information, and also to misdirect. The industry doesn't publish what these algorithms do because they're considered proprietary information - like Coke's secret recipe. There is simple no way to avoid getting caught up by them.



I just posted a video above the quotes studies.



Thanks for this. I do think you're slightly incorrect though. I say that because it's important to remember that this addiction is only superficially the same as say, alcoholism. To quote the video I just posted, these devices rewire our brains and are designed to be addictive. Smartphones knows no age limits, no topic is out of bounds, and they are deliberately acting on our brains by releasing dopamine.

Think of this - there's another thread on the forum that talks about a book being banned from a school library. It's a books about same sex parents. Apparently, it's going to be too much for kids to handle. But the thing is, kids have their heads stuck to screens these days, do parents imagine any child couldn't Google the topic and get even more detailed and graphic information? The internet doesn't have a gateway to such things, you can't close the door. There is literally no limit to the pornography freely available on the net, and we're worried about a book in a library.
Click to expand...
Sorry I didn't explain my point better. Many things are designed to be addictive by releasing reward chemicals in the brain. Slot machines, video games, porn, drugs, commercials, just to name a few, and they all can affect normal functioning of the brain, although I think using the term "rewire" is incorrect.

Nevertheless, they need participation and lack of adequate self-discipline in order to become an addiction. Unfortunately, teens can be lacking in that area, which requires more from the parent.

This is just my view, and it may be a bit "out there", so I'm sure it's not for everyone. I think as a society, we spend way too much money, and put way too much time and effort into academics, and way too little on teaching children how to not screw up their life by making bad decisions, and using bad judgment.

I think that should be the main focus, and one can learn the academics as they go and are needed. I have seen way too many kids screw up their life by making bad choices and using bad judgment than I ever have with ones who didn't grasp algebra or trig or geography. If you haven't learned the mechanics of making sound decisions, it's not going to matter how much money you make at your job.

In my view, falling prey to bait and switch tactics, and addictive hooks like ones used by technology and social media should be emphasized at all levels during a child's development, just as you would any other dangers, and sadly, they will probably never be taught those things when the parents are setting a bad example. A cell phone should be nothing more than a tool. It is not entertainment for a thirsty mind that will soak it up like a sponge and turn your brain into the same.

We learn many lessons the hard way, and hopefully this will be a wakeup call for parents.
 
I've seen a commercial for an attorney on TV where they claim that ADHD is caused by social media. How a chemical imbalance in the brain can be cause by Facebook or other sites is preposterous.
 
Social media killing our kids is another version of the "devil made me do it". There's always some nefarious demon waiting to lead astray our god-fearing youth. Kind of when homosexuals turn straight kids gay. Social media is a technology. It doesn't breathe, think or want. If troubled kids use it, they are troubled kids using technology. It is the humans using that technology, which may negatively interact with others- just like at school.
I don't think you can blame a technology for the problems of human interaction. More than century ago, you could blame troubled kids on that new fangled demon invention- the telephone.
 
bobcat said:
Sorry I didn't explain my point better. Many things are designed to be addictive by releasing reward chemicals in the brain. Slot machines, video games, porn, drugs, commercials, just to name a few, and they all can affect normal functioning of the brain, although I think using the term "rewire" is incorrect.

Nevertheless, they need participation and lack of adequate self-discipline in order to become an addiction. Unfortunately, teens can be lacking in that area, which requires more from the parent.

This is just my view, and it may be a bit "out there", so I'm sure it's not for everyone. I think as a society, we spend way too much money, and put way too much time and effort into academics, and way too little on teaching children how to not screw up their life by making bad decisions, and using bad judgment.
Click to expand...

Sadly, this is how generational shifts drive change. My parents were pretty strict in many ways. In some of those ways, in modern terms, they'd be labelled abusers. As kids are given fewer boundaries, so they grow up and become parents themselves, with even fewer, and so we go. I think most of our issues today are down to poor parenting, I'm afraid. Who's to blame? WE are.

fuzzybuddy said:
Social media killing our kids is another version of the "devil made me do it". There's always some nefarious demon waiting to lead astray our god-fearing youth. Kind of when homosexuals turn straight kids gay. Social media is a technology. It doesn't breathe, think or want. If troubled kids use it, they are troubled kids using technology. It is the humans using that technology, which may negatively interact with others- just like at school.
I don't think you can blame a technology for the problems of human interaction. More than century ago, you could blame troubled kids on that new fangled demon invention- the telephone.
Click to expand...

I hear you, and we should guard against such things. Where I think you're perhaps incorrect is that this isn't about simply using technology. The technology is controlling the information you see, read, watch, and ultimately want. The technology isn't simply a screen, it's everything that brings information to that screen.

Human, as in person to person, interaction has changed substantially with the new technologies. Look at how many people are finding partners online, or just how many lives people get invested in through "follows" and "subscribing". It's a wholly different dynamic. Not to mention, we're entering an era where AI generated speech and conversation will be indiscernible from an actual human. We'll soon be at a place where you could have NO humans to follow or contact via our Smartphones.
 
I remember way back in the 1950s, comic books were considered as tools of the devil, turning good kids into ""JDs".( Juvenile Delinquents) That fact is whether it is comics books, or social media, it is kids with issues that read comics and use social media, as well as other kids. Social media, for kids, is kids responding to other kids. If a child is traumatized by social media, put the blame on the brat that caused it.
 
bobcat said:
I think the idea that social media is killing our kids is an over-generalized view. Granted, it has been destructive in some individuals, but this is the case with so many addictions (Gambling, drugs, porn, shopping, eating, drinking, smoking, etc...). The question seems to boil down to: Why are some able to control those influences, and others are not?
Click to expand...

I worry much more about kids being acculturated into a "norm" of sitting around watching televised junk sports tanked up on gummies and enhanced dope smoking and/or mass quantities of alcohol then turning to video gaming even more hours a week.

I suppose that can even degenerate further as illustrated in the cautionary tale Idiocracy, which is probably just around the corner for us now.

 
dilettante said:
I worry much more about kids being acculturated into a "norm" of sitting around watching televised junk sports tanked up on gummies and enhanced dope smoking and/or mass quantities of alcohol then turning to video gaming even more hours a week.

I suppose that can even degenerate further as illustrated in the cautionary tale Idiocracy, which is probably just around the corner for us now.

Click to expand...
Ha ha. If reality ever comes to that, I'll take the next train to the Great Beyond. (Goodbye cruel world .... flush).
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top