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@futurebird I keep hearing cultural critics and educators talking about the young as if they are intellectually stunted in some unprecedented and alarming way (and they always say they know the reason: it's the pandemic closures, it's smartphones, it's social media, it's that they don't read books, it's pop culture)

and I think, I don't know, maybe they're talking about the ones I haven't met. The kids I've known seem all right.

@mattmcirvin @futurebird They're just typical asshole olds who want to talk shit about kids. They'll make up whatever counterfactual narrative their peers will buy.

@dalias @mattmcirvin

I'm certain some kids are "awful" because some people always are and kids are a subset of people.

But, I'm just always so skeptical of any notion that young people have gotten "worse" -- but maybe it's a reflective thing... if an adult is distracted, short attention span, rude, etc. the kids around them might be similar? IDK.

@dalias @mattmcirvin

I'll just say this: When I think of "brain rot from social media" it is NOT a teenager that first comes to mind!

In fact, the worst cases of "#socialMedia brain rot" I've observed have been in those over the age of 40. Making me wonder if us old people are less able to cope with new technology a little.

But not much.