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The summary is that traditional sources of meaning — marriage, friends, patriotism, career, childbearing, and faith — are now devalued, and cell phones offer in
by lsy 3y ago
The summary is that traditional sources of meaning — marriage, friends, patriotism, career, childbearing, and faith — are now devalued, and cell phones offer in their place corporate solutions that are harmful.
As can be expected, Haidt and the poster argue that solutions are found at the level of the cell phone and limiting access to it, rather than improvements at the social level where the boomer, gen x, and increasingly millennial generations continue to fail to deliver meaning through the aforementioned institutions.
If Gen Z could look to society and especially older generations for
- interpersonal relationships based on cooperation rather than competition
- work that was meaningfully compensated rather than exploitative
- governments that were responsive to their constituents rather than self-serving
- social support systems that reward rather than punish parenting, or
- religious institutions that delivered compassion and moral goodness rather than prejudice and contempt,
then I think it could be argued that folks could find meaning in these institutions instead of behind a phone screen. Until then the complaints about social decay are almost insulting.
- vlunkr 3y agoI'm reminded of the "useful myths" concept in the book Sapiens. Being very patriotic, very confident in your religion and politics was useful for most of human history. Even if you're wrong, the confidence gives you purpose, and peace. Gen-Z seems more nuanced about all of these things. I think I blame the Internet. Speaking very very broadly, millennials grew up with this type of confidence, but abandoned it in adulthood, when they became educated and emotionally ready to do so. Gen-Z has not had the same time to prepare. As teens or young adults, they are having all this thrust on them, and getting hit with nihilism really early.
- glitchc 3y agoBoomers are dying. Gen Z are welcome to take charge of these institutions and transform them as they see fit. I know some who are doing exactly that, and are much happier than the subject matter of the article. Ultimately people are looking for meaning and purpose to their existence. There are productive ways to get there, and then there are destructive ways. Everyone needs to pick their own path.