It still doesnt feel real. Because I was always the one to take her to the vet I was the one who had to sign the paperwork to put her down. I just feel broken
i honestly think toddlers with ipads are one of the most pressing issues facing US society today lol. our children are being made neurotic, distracted, and addicted to screens before they’ve even learned to speak. this will have devastating longterm consequences on their ability to develop normal social skills and learn new information. it feels like these tech companies and their financial backers are trying to create an underclass of people whose experience of life will be almost entirely online. they’re setting our future generations up to be unskilled, anti-social, and intellectually stunted
I work in tech and it was really interesting hearing from my manager how he doesn’t let his kids watch YouTube, no social media for them, and if they want to watch something, it has to be from a streaming service because YouTube Kids is notoriously bad at screening videos that are inappropriate. It left me thinking because parents who are just trying to keep their head above water financially don’t have time to think about these things. In the short term, iPads and YouTube and TikTok and whatever else keeps their kids occupied.
It’s very well known that the top schools in Silicon Valley where tech elites send their kids are really strict about internet usage. Tech millionaires want their kids doing real, productive things. It’s going to be a huge advantage that wealthier kids are able to concentrate for longer, have higher self esteem from developing real skills and hobbies, and have better social skills.
I totally agree with OP that this is going to further stratify society and create an underclass of people who are “unskilled, anti-social, and intellectually stunted.” Just like how having pearly white straight teeth in America is seen as a class indicator because many people can’t afford orthodontia or dental insurance.
I once read an article by the Dean of a prestigious university where he lists basic life skills that an eighteen year old should have. He wrote this because he was noticing the lack of those skills in the freshman classes. It’s only going to get worse, in my opinion.
