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At the same time, the average individual's ability to commit to something of any duration has decreased dramatically. Citation? It wasn't unusual for a (home-

At the same time, the average individual's ability to commit to something of any duration has decreased dramatically. Citation? It wasn't unusual for a (home-schooled) pre-teen in the 1700s to know Greek and Latin. Bullshit. Pre-teen or not pre-teen, in the mid-1700s, the majority of Europe didn't know how to read and write. I don't think it's reasonable to make sweeping remarks like this without real statistics to back them up. I don't have many friends who sit on their ass playing WoW all day and night, and I doubt you do either. Just because these people exist doesn't mean that the whole world is going to shit at record rates.

synnik 16y ago
I'd recommend y'all not worry too much about the inaccuracies of his historical contexts. He actually gets to his point farther down in the article, and his point is valid.
- mquander 16y ago
  Hah, but he added citations! I would never have had this nitpicking opportunity if I hadn't asked! I know there's a lot of evidence that increased screen time for kids is harmful for studies, so I won't begrudge that point. Let me argue a point I didn't intend to argue. Suppose the average American (just a reference class that I feel OK making guesses about) really is getting dumber, more hedonistic, and more prone to distraction. Is this going to kill us? The same technology that is causing problems for the average American is opening up awesome new opportunities for anyone who gives a shit. My life is way better than it would have been twenty years ago; I can get any book I please and it arrives instantly, or in a few days. I can take as much time as I like online and have careful conversations with smarter people than me, or collaborate with them. Anyone can self-publish anything and be judged by their peers on its merit, and I can generally go read it and judge them for myself. These are amazing changes, and it seems impossible to enable these things without enabling WoW players, cat videos, and inane soundbite banter. Do we need to try to strive to make something out of people who don't care to make anything out of themselves?

synnik 16y ago

I'd recommend y'all not worry too much about the inaccuracies of his historical contexts. He actually gets to his point farther down in the article, and his point is valid.

mquander 16y ago
Hah, but he added citations! I would never have had this nitpicking opportunity if I hadn't asked! I know there's a lot of evidence that increased screen time for kids is harmful for studies, so I won't begrudge that point. Let me argue a point I didn't intend to argue. Suppose the average American (just a reference class that I feel OK making guesses about) really is getting dumber, more hedonistic, and more prone to distraction. Is this going to kill us? The same technology that is causing problems for the average American is opening up awesome new opportunities for anyone who gives a shit. My life is way better than it would have been twenty years ago; I can get any book I please and it arrives instantly, or in a few days. I can take as much time as I like online and have careful conversations with smarter people than me, or collaborate with them. Anyone can self-publish anything and be judged by their peers on its merit, and I can generally go read it and judge them for myself. These are amazing changes, and it seems impossible to enable these things without enabling WoW players, cat videos, and inane soundbite banter. Do we need to try to strive to make something out of people who don't care to make anything out of themselves?