Parents used to warn their kids that literature would rot their brains. Then it was the radio, TV, and video games. Now it's TikTok. - eviltoast

Socrates bemoaned those young’ns who had the audacity to read their Homer, instead of memorizing it.

Children and Radio

  • Shiggles@sh.itjust.works
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    1 year ago

    How is it hypocrisy if the previous forms of media were also bad for you, Tik-Tok is just more efficient at funneling meaningless drivel down your throat?

    • Polydextrous@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Exactly. We’ve also been saying that burning coal was destroying the climate, and then we said CFCs were destroying the ozone, and then we said massive deforestation is ruining the climate…doesn’t make any of them less true just because we’ve said similar beings about less efficient means of destruction.

    • quadropiss@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Such generalizing statements are blatantly untrue, hypocritical, and harmful. People don’t use social media without a reason. Everything a human does is meet their needs, both psychological and physiological. When humans resort to social media it means they resort to social interaction and whatever other needs they may have like having feelings validated, visual/audio/etc. stimulation, but that doesn’t sound sensational enough, that’s not enough to scapegoat a group of people

      • Feathercrown@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Ok but research indicates that it fails to actually meet their long-term needs. This is actually a really confusing take, if humans always do what meets their needs then we wouldn’t have any issues at all? We TRY to do what we think will meet them, but we’re often mistaken, and this is an example of that.

        • quadropiss@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Did I say that it does meet needs long term? What was the sample? What was the methodology? What communities were they participating in? How were they participating? What were the needs? Did they have a neurodivergency? What were their surroundings like? What was their childhood like? Do they go to therapy? What therapeutic practice did they do in therapy?

          • Feathercrown@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Why are you asking like I was talking about a single person? Like… “What therapeutic practice did they do in therapy?”? Is this your idea of a counterargument?

        • quadropiss@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Also no. Addiction happens exactly when the needs are met more than usual, hence “social media addiction”, and it’s not the social media’s fault, it’s not “TikTok Instagram bad”. It’s weaponized misconceptions about mental health that are creating this issue in the first place

          Edit: PSA - more than usual does not mean enough

      • Bipta@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        I think that’s generally a good argument, however the rate and level of dopamine hits from TikTok and YouTube Shorts may far surpass that of prior mediums and so actually warrant additional considerations and precautions.

        But then, I may just be an old man.

      • STUPIDVIPGUY@sopuli.xyz
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        1 year ago

        It may be hypocritical, but have you considered that all of these forms of entertainment are unhealthy? The only difference is that they get more and more efficient with each generation, causing increasing levels of concern from each generation. That’s indicative of a rising trend

      • papertowels@lemmy.one
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        1 year ago

        Fwiw I actively believe that reddit is responsible for shortening my attention span.

        It is not hypocritical to call out tik tok for doing the same.

        • quadropiss@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          What situations your short attention span makes uncomfortable for you apart from things related to some sort of achievement (as perceived by your workplace, school, family, friends, etc)

          • papertowels@lemmy.one
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            1 year ago

            Can you rephrase your question? Imo nearly everything can be interpreted to relate to some sort of achievement.

            • quadropiss@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              I mean achievement as something that’s perceived by society, something that you don’t do for enjoyment, something to profit off of in some way (be it simple recognition or raised social status), “I will do this because people will also see it and that’s very good”. It can be the expectations of relatives, workplace, college, or you’re just doing something for the workplace or college.

              I’m asking because I cannot imagine what hobbies/activities outside of performing for somebody can be negatively affected by short attention span. It’s not your problem that people are just boring and don’t treat you like a god damn human (workplace that requires you to sit and sign documents for 12 whole hours with little to no breaks, or endless inefficient meetings, for example)