Jon, when I first started listening to you a few years back, you sounded and looked frustrated and worried. I've listened to a few interviews the last couple of weeks and happy to hear you sounding way more optimistic about kids and social media. I can almost see the weight lifting from you. Thank you very much for shining a light on the damage social media is doing, particularly to kids.
I loved your After Babel article. Your description of dopamine hits as a substitute for relationships and enduring ideals and values captures it perfectly. However, I don't think the internet caused this to happen. It was the perfect vehicle. But this disintegration of a meaningful relationship to conventional idealizations such as romance, religion, patriotism, etc long preceded social media and the internet. I described it years ago in ADHD and Other Sins of Our Children https://simonsobo.substack.com/p/adhd-and-other-sins-of-our-children as have others. I've taken many stabs at explaining why this has happened. I believe it developed out of the erosion of our values that the counter culture successfully achieved by waving the banner of love, zen, Yogi, freedom, creativity, and practically anything alternative, and that eventually disintegrated until we were left a vacuous culture of ME. Obviously it is more complicated than these few sentences. In the 1977 I wrote an article Narcissism as a Function of Culture which appeared in the Psychoanalytic Study of the Child and before that another article on Narcissism for the Yale Review in 1975. I have taken a few stabs at why the 60's took place including attributing it to JFK stoking idealism and the innocence and idealization of Youths.https://simonsobo.substack.com/p/jfk-and-jackie-caused-the-mess-we Somewhat related in the course of a discussion of "Why Socialism Appeals to the Affluent https://simonsobo.substack.com/p/why-socialism-appeals-to-the-the I blame it on our extreme affluence (Yes the softening and decadence of Rome argument) Obviously, I'm not sure of the explanations we all need but I think the issues I am raising should be part of the discussion
Omg this is talking to ME. As a preschool substitute teacher, teachers had a PASS to put screens into the classrooms of toddlers, not to mention 3-5 year olds. I was horrified and unfortunately, that was the beginning, allowed and sanctioned during Covid. We’ve got to dial it back. Full stop.
My fear is that people with disabilities will be sidelined due to the possibility of increasing backlash against phone & AI use. For the first time, using AI tools, we are starting to be able to do things which the able-bodied take for granted, such as the blind being able to read our own mail, handouts, documents, recipes and so much more, such as much more independent travel using AI, also the deaf & hard of hearing having availability of AI ASL via AI and the list will only become more exciting. Will the sighted, for example, complain about the blind using phones to take pics & videos for facial expression detection, people ID and other things? Will AI regulation limit uses so needed by the disabled? I am also so very disappointed that journalists & mental health professionals do not seem interested in studying how the disabled live and what tools they use at home, in school at all levels and at work. How awful it would be if AI the other tech is sidelined! Individualism is king in societies so independence for people with disabilities seems paramount, another reason to keep all AI & other tech exploding.
Being a teacher for 39 years, I wholeheartedly agree!! Chromebooks are still used for bullying and texting. Get rid of them and we will all see test scores go up and less bullying!
I've followed surfing patterns, social media, and kids since before 2010 as a person who used to be in digital marketing and later became a mental health and suicide prevention speaker after the death of my son to suicide. I noticed how broken my son who died was when friends started wanting to stay inside to play video games. He was a people person and wanted to be connected in person. That inspired me to start watching the social media trends and how predatory it was and the damage it was doing. I was so grateful John got together the data and wrote this book. Now I am able to include his data (and recognize the source), and it validates the presentation I give. Read "Careless People" in addition to "Anxious Generation." We cannot trust the digital industry to add their own guardrails. They won't. They are too greedy.
Bless you both for bringing this information to us❣️ I missed (as a parent) being on the cutting edge of understanding tech influences when my 1988-born daughter came of age. My desire now, as a grandmother, is to help my children by gently help them be aware of the potholes in our society. Katie, thx for acknowledging your team. Some may think you are a one-band woman and that feels a bit intimidating to some of us in our upper 60's❣️
John is a genius. We are teaching classes globally that help people to REVERSE the lack of human interaction. These classes are on zoom but we immediately get the participants to get into groups of three to listen to each other without interruption and unlock the interpersonal relationships that normally block listening interactions.
Our graduates are offering amazing testimonies of insights and emotional changes.
Attacking Trump and Republicans is not a smart way to positively influence them. Relationalpeace.org
Jon, when I first started listening to you a few years back, you sounded and looked frustrated and worried. I've listened to a few interviews the last couple of weeks and happy to hear you sounding way more optimistic about kids and social media. I can almost see the weight lifting from you. Thank you very much for shining a light on the damage social media is doing, particularly to kids.
I loved your After Babel article. Your description of dopamine hits as a substitute for relationships and enduring ideals and values captures it perfectly. However, I don't think the internet caused this to happen. It was the perfect vehicle. But this disintegration of a meaningful relationship to conventional idealizations such as romance, religion, patriotism, etc long preceded social media and the internet. I described it years ago in ADHD and Other Sins of Our Children https://simonsobo.substack.com/p/adhd-and-other-sins-of-our-children as have others. I've taken many stabs at explaining why this has happened. I believe it developed out of the erosion of our values that the counter culture successfully achieved by waving the banner of love, zen, Yogi, freedom, creativity, and practically anything alternative, and that eventually disintegrated until we were left a vacuous culture of ME. Obviously it is more complicated than these few sentences. In the 1977 I wrote an article Narcissism as a Function of Culture which appeared in the Psychoanalytic Study of the Child and before that another article on Narcissism for the Yale Review in 1975. I have taken a few stabs at why the 60's took place including attributing it to JFK stoking idealism and the innocence and idealization of Youths.https://simonsobo.substack.com/p/jfk-and-jackie-caused-the-mess-we Somewhat related in the course of a discussion of "Why Socialism Appeals to the Affluent https://simonsobo.substack.com/p/why-socialism-appeals-to-the-the I blame it on our extreme affluence (Yes the softening and decadence of Rome argument) Obviously, I'm not sure of the explanations we all need but I think the issues I am raising should be part of the discussion
Omg this is talking to ME. As a preschool substitute teacher, teachers had a PASS to put screens into the classrooms of toddlers, not to mention 3-5 year olds. I was horrified and unfortunately, that was the beginning, allowed and sanctioned during Covid. We’ve got to dial it back. Full stop.
She is a terrible listener.
thank you both, I am able to have a smidgen of hope that this issue will both be spoken about and be acted on in the UK
Thank you Katie for the definitive year-end wrap up!! So wonderfully broad and all-encompassing interviews, truly a tour de force!!!
great interview.
thank you
Happy Holidays everybody
Peace
My fear is that people with disabilities will be sidelined due to the possibility of increasing backlash against phone & AI use. For the first time, using AI tools, we are starting to be able to do things which the able-bodied take for granted, such as the blind being able to read our own mail, handouts, documents, recipes and so much more, such as much more independent travel using AI, also the deaf & hard of hearing having availability of AI ASL via AI and the list will only become more exciting. Will the sighted, for example, complain about the blind using phones to take pics & videos for facial expression detection, people ID and other things? Will AI regulation limit uses so needed by the disabled? I am also so very disappointed that journalists & mental health professionals do not seem interested in studying how the disabled live and what tools they use at home, in school at all levels and at work. How awful it would be if AI the other tech is sidelined! Individualism is king in societies so independence for people with disabilities seems paramount, another reason to keep all AI & other tech exploding.
This is a concern that needs to be addressed-special education staff are raising the same questions.
Kids get shot in schools
Being a teacher for 39 years, I wholeheartedly agree!! Chromebooks are still used for bullying and texting. Get rid of them and we will all see test scores go up and less bullying!
would appreciate a transcript of this interview. thank you!
The irony of using this video format for this conversation is not lost on all of us
Not sure where you got the info that Meta has purchased Scholastic unless it hasn't been made public knowledge yet but I don't believe that's correct.
I've followed surfing patterns, social media, and kids since before 2010 as a person who used to be in digital marketing and later became a mental health and suicide prevention speaker after the death of my son to suicide. I noticed how broken my son who died was when friends started wanting to stay inside to play video games. He was a people person and wanted to be connected in person. That inspired me to start watching the social media trends and how predatory it was and the damage it was doing. I was so grateful John got together the data and wrote this book. Now I am able to include his data (and recognize the source), and it validates the presentation I give. Read "Careless People" in addition to "Anxious Generation." We cannot trust the digital industry to add their own guardrails. They won't. They are too greedy.
Bless you both for bringing this information to us❣️ I missed (as a parent) being on the cutting edge of understanding tech influences when my 1988-born daughter came of age. My desire now, as a grandmother, is to help my children by gently help them be aware of the potholes in our society. Katie, thx for acknowledging your team. Some may think you are a one-band woman and that feels a bit intimidating to some of us in our upper 60's❣️
John is a genius. We are teaching classes globally that help people to REVERSE the lack of human interaction. These classes are on zoom but we immediately get the participants to get into groups of three to listen to each other without interruption and unlock the interpersonal relationships that normally block listening interactions.
Our graduates are offering amazing testimonies of insights and emotional changes.
Attacking Trump and Republicans is not a smart way to positively influence them. Relationalpeace.org