4 ms·

My generation drank, smoked, took drugs, hung around in large intimidating groups... I'm not exactly sure being hooked on smart phones is worse.

alsetmusic 3y ago
We did the same, but only because a medium-sized city in a Midwest state offered nothing for young people to do. We could go bowling or go to the movies. Last week I met friends at a board game cafe / bar (I live on the west coast now) and there were tons of college students enjoying coffees and beers and pizza. There was still alcohol, but it wasn’t the point of the evening. When I was their age, we got loaded to forget / escape our boredom. What I’m saying is that there’s a positive outcome that can be reached through community investment.
- bluefirebrand 3y ago
  > there were tons of college students enjoying coffees and beers and pizza. So what are High School students supposed to do? They often don't have the money to go spend to hang out someplace, and even if they did, can they actually get there? Maybe with an hour of transit time each way or with a friend's parent who can drive them. The complaint of "I don't have anything to do without my phone" is probably coming from a younger group than College Students in general.
  - jacobolus 3y ago
    When I was in high school we would go to the public park, which was free.
AlbertCory 3y ago
Sorry for you, but I think we could show that many (most) kids were not doing those things.
Barrin92 3y ago
given the epidemic of sexlessness and general delay of adulthood among young people I don't understand the demonization. Smoking, drinking and getting into some trouble have been important rituals for a long time for a reason. Now we've traded it in for solipsistic, depressed, pill hooked anti-social teens because of an obsession with health at the cost of everything else. The pandemic of course did its part to accelerate that trend. Hitchens anticipated it a generation ago. Your body will recover from some stupidities in your teens and young adulthood, having your mind glued to your phone instead of having a real life for your formative years, not so sure.

alsetmusic 3y ago

We did the same, but only because a medium-sized city in a Midwest state offered nothing for young people to do. We could go bowling or go to the movies. Last week I met friends at a board game cafe / bar (I live on the west coast now) and there were tons of college students enjoying coffees and beers and pizza. There was still alcohol, but it wasn’t the point of the evening. When I was their age, we got loaded to forget / escape our boredom. What I’m saying is that there’s a positive outcome that can be reached through community investment.

bluefirebrand 3y ago
> there were tons of college students enjoying coffees and beers and pizza. So what are High School students supposed to do? They often don't have the money to go spend to hang out someplace, and even if they did, can they actually get there? Maybe with an hour of transit time each way or with a friend's parent who can drive them. The complaint of "I don't have anything to do without my phone" is probably coming from a younger group than College Students in general.
- jacobolus 3y ago
  When I was in high school we would go to the public park, which was free.

AlbertCory 3y ago

Sorry for you, but I think we could show that many (most) kids were not doing those things.

Barrin92 3y ago

given the epidemic of sexlessness and general delay of adulthood among young people I don't understand the demonization. Smoking, drinking and getting into some trouble have been important rituals for a long time for a reason. Now we've traded it in for solipsistic, depressed, pill hooked anti-social teens because of an obsession with health at the cost of everything else. The pandemic of course did its part to accelerate that trend. Hitchens anticipated it a generation ago. Your body will recover from some stupidities in your teens and young adulthood, having your mind glued to your phone instead of having a real life for your formative years, not so sure.