„No, Smartphones are Not Destroying a Generation“
Erst Rock ’n‘ Roll, dann Videospiele und heute Smartphones: Ein unglaublich schlechter Artikel in The Atlantic schrie geradezu nach einer Antwort. Sarah Rose Cavanagh nahm sich dankenswerterweise die Zeit.
Nowhere is Twenge’s bias more obvious to me than in some research that she actually does review but then casts aside as seemingly irrelevant to her thesis – namely, the vast counter-evidence to the „destroyed generation“ thesis contained in her headline. In the introduction to the piece she notes that this generation has sharply lower rates of alcohol use, teen pregnancies, unprotected sex, smoking, and car accidents than previous generations. This is what a destroyed generation looks like?
Yes, we should practice (and preach to our children) moderation in all things, our digital lives included. Yes, we should conduct careful research studies into the effects of „screentime“ on developing minds, and we should be open to what those data say. Yes, we should be concerned about adolescent depression and investigate its causes. Yes, we should put down our phones once in awhile and take a walk in the damn woods.
But my suspicion is that the kids are gonna be ok.