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> That reliance on self-reporting — the teens' own opinions — as a single indicator of harm is a problem, says Candice Odgers, a psychologist who studies adoles

> That reliance on self-reporting — the teens' own opinions — as a single indicator of harm is a problem, says Candice Odgers, a psychologist who studies adolescence at University of California, Irvine and Duke University. That's because teenagers are already primed by media coverage, and the disapproval of adults, to believe that social media is bad for them. And since when do teens care about the disapproval of adults? When I was a kid, video games were the terrible thing. I didn't know any kids who bought into that narrative—we knew they were harmless fun and kept playing.

savanaly 5y ago
Oh, I definitely bought into all sorts of notions my parent consciously or unconsciously tried to instill in me about video games, reading, etc. It's not all powerful but it is powerful. I'm fully ready to believe there are some segments of kids that don't feel that effect but for me and my immediate peers it existed.
Forbo 5y ago
I often would internalize the idea that I was "wasting" time by enjoying video games when I was growing up. I can trace my entire career back to gaming sparking my interest in computing. However, having experienced childhood trauma and lifelong depression, even though what I was doing was perfectly acceptable behavior, I would spin it into evidence that my negative self-perception was accurate. I still struggle with this idea, and have been working to overcome feeling immense guilt when I take some time to blow off steam playing a game for a few hours.
- missedthecue 5y ago
  My parents also taught me that video games are a waste of time growing up, and now it is something I am very grateful that they did. I recall a classmate in college relating to me that he had put in over 8000 hours in various games. I almost pitied him. A year of his life gone, unproductively looking at a computer screen. Of course plenty of people have similar habits. Older people watch a ton of television, others sink themselves into social media. But I'm glad I never got addicted to gaming.
  - piggybox 5y ago
    It's just a choice of life. I once heard a friend saying playing game saved tons of money for her because of money not wasted on endless night club and parties. Being productive making more money or getting better grades is fine. Other options to enjoy a life are also fine.
  - paulryanrogers 5y ago
    > A year of his life gone, unproductively looking at a computer screen. Your perspective and opinion is valuable. But try not to judge or dismiss others' without the full story. Some of us who played so much did get a lot out of it: socially, intellectually, creatively, etc.
  - jazzyjackson 5y ago
    i’m sure i’ve spent 8000 hours doing one pittiable thing or another if time is enjoyed, it isn’t wasted, so they say
  - worrycue 5y ago
    > I recall a classmate in college relating to me that he had put in over 8000 hours in various games. It’s possible that if it wasn’t video games it would have been something else like partying and drinking. Some people do it to escape, to block out real life, the means can be substituted if some forms aren’t available.
  - harry8 5y ago
    I've dropped a lot more than 8000 hours into reading various novels. Do you pity me? I'm not entirely convinced Litterature with a capital L is any better than any other form of escapism. Arguably worse than cleaning the floor of a soup kitchen.
joe_the_user 5y ago
And since when do teens care about the disapproval of adults? This is kind of argument by stereotype. Of course teens are impact by media.
cookingmyserver 5y ago
They care when they believe it confirms their already existing bias. You will scoff at an adult telling you that D&D will make you satanic because you know that you are not satanic and have not had the urge to worship satan because of D&D. But if they are telling you social media will make you feel bad about yourself, and you actually are feeling bad about yourself, you are likely to say.. yeah that is probably right. It allows them to cast their insecurities on to "Social Media" and say "I feel this way because of X". Otherwise where are these feelings coming from? Am I really a loser?

savanaly 5y ago

Oh, I definitely bought into all sorts of notions my parent consciously or unconsciously tried to instill in me about video games, reading, etc. It's not all powerful but it is powerful. I'm fully ready to believe there are some segments of kids that don't feel that effect but for me and my immediate peers it existed.

Forbo 5y ago

I often would internalize the idea that I was "wasting" time by enjoying video games when I was growing up. I can trace my entire career back to gaming sparking my interest in computing. However, having experienced childhood trauma and lifelong depression, even though what I was doing was perfectly acceptable behavior, I would spin it into evidence that my negative self-perception was accurate. I still struggle with this idea, and have been working to overcome feeling immense guilt when I take some time to blow off steam playing a game for a few hours.

missedthecue 5y ago
My parents also taught me that video games are a waste of time growing up, and now it is something I am very grateful that they did. I recall a classmate in college relating to me that he had put in over 8000 hours in various games. I almost pitied him. A year of his life gone, unproductively looking at a computer screen. Of course plenty of people have similar habits. Older people watch a ton of television, others sink themselves into social media. But I'm glad I never got addicted to gaming.
- piggybox 5y ago
  It's just a choice of life. I once heard a friend saying playing game saved tons of money for her because of money not wasted on endless night club and parties. Being productive making more money or getting better grades is fine. Other options to enjoy a life are also fine.
- paulryanrogers 5y ago
  > A year of his life gone, unproductively looking at a computer screen. Your perspective and opinion is valuable. But try not to judge or dismiss others' without the full story. Some of us who played so much did get a lot out of it: socially, intellectually, creatively, etc.
- jazzyjackson 5y ago
  i’m sure i’ve spent 8000 hours doing one pittiable thing or another if time is enjoyed, it isn’t wasted, so they say
- worrycue 5y ago
  > I recall a classmate in college relating to me that he had put in over 8000 hours in various games. It’s possible that if it wasn’t video games it would have been something else like partying and drinking. Some people do it to escape, to block out real life, the means can be substituted if some forms aren’t available.
- harry8 5y ago
  I've dropped a lot more than 8000 hours into reading various novels. Do you pity me? I'm not entirely convinced Litterature with a capital L is any better than any other form of escapism. Arguably worse than cleaning the floor of a soup kitchen.

joe_the_user 5y ago

And since when do teens care about the disapproval of adults? This is kind of argument by stereotype. Of course teens are impact by media.

cookingmyserver 5y ago

They care when they believe it confirms their already existing bias. You will scoff at an adult telling you that D&D will make you satanic because you know that you are not satanic and have not had the urge to worship satan because of D&D. But if they are telling you social media will make you feel bad about yourself, and you actually are feeling bad about yourself, you are likely to say.. yeah that is probably right. It allows them to cast their insecurities on to "Social Media" and say "I feel this way because of X". Otherwise where are these feelings coming from? Am I really a loser?