Unexpected confirmation for why we keep our daughters away from social media and TV

[musterion]

Linked from Drudge:

http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/69...a-culture-youth-teenager-mental-health-selfie

“There has been a Facebook-isation of life leading to a ‘look at me’ culture. Society seems to have become very individualistic with people obsessing about Me and I rather than supporting one another. . .The internet has created a very visual culture with huge emphasis on how you look and an obsession with celebrities. There have always been rich people but now we see them and their lifestyles all the time, and if you feel you can’t achieve what they do then the pressure mounts.”

That a homosexual author is apparently making this point primarily for homosexuals is beside the point. Accurate description of a situation is accurate description, as far as it goes. Doesn't matter who makes it.

But he misidentifies the root problem. It isn't that society has become individualistic; only the hive-minded would think that is a problem.

The problem is that the basic corruption of human nature is exponentially floating to the top of modern society as people (including many children) become increasingly vain, selfish, arrogant and lawless. Is this a new problem? No. But social media, and kids' easy access to it, seems to make it worse as the cycle feeds and grows upon itself. I see evidence of this in my line of work all the time. And I could tell you a story about something I saw just yesterday in Dollar Tree that would make this very point but it would outrage some of you just because of your many politically correct Things That May Not Be Said.

At that same Dollar Tree, though, a tiny six or seven year old was pushing the cart way behind her mom. She had to pass between me and whatever I was looking at in the aisle. As she went by, she looked up at me, smiled and quietly said, "Excuse me, please sir." I had to smile at that.

 

[Crucible]

Mankind has reached a new height of vanity, and social media is both a primary cause and perpetual outlet of it. In fact, it's exactly why it was made in the first place, though people generally just didn't think it. But fundamentally it was put in place for people to broadcast themselves. Everything else is after the fact.

 

[eider]

The problem is that the basic corruption of human nature is exponentially floating to the top of modern society as people (including many children) become increasingly vain, selfish, arrogant and lawless. Is this a new problem? No.

True......
You could have added 'uncontrolled greed' for status, wealth, power, fame, freedom.......... Yes..... True.
The question for me has always been, 'So what to do?' And the answer has always come back, 'Ignore the rush of the rabble for things of no value. Stick to your principles no matter what the material costs'.
But them I was lucky. I don't know how, but I found my wife, who has no interest whatever in the material......

At that same Dollar Tree, though, a tiny six or seven year old was pushing the cart way behind her mom. She had to pass between me and whatever I was looking at in the aisle. As she went by, she looked up at me, smiled and quietly said, "Excuse me, please sir." I had to smile at that.

......... and the spiritual diamonds that lay there amongst the sands of Mammon. It's great when they pop up into view! :

 

[annabenedetti]

Unexpected confirmation for why we keep our daughters away from social media andTV

Sons would also benefit from limited exposure.

 

[musterion]

Sons would also benefit from limited exposure.

True. If I had any, I have no doubt I'd need to limit their exposure even more.

 

[annabenedetti]

True. If I had any, I have no doubt I'd need to limit their exposure even more.

Within reason, of course. It's not a good idea to raise a kid in a bubble.

 

[musterion]

Within reason, of course. It's not a good idea to raise a kid in a bubble.

True, but it depends on what's outside of the bubble. Psa 101:3

 

[annabenedetti]

True, but it depends on what's outside of the bubble. Psa 101:3

You close them in too much and you control them beyond what's reasonable, and you'll make the world look a lot more alluring than it is.

 

[musterion]

Do you have kids?

 

[annabenedetti]

Do you have kids?

Yes.

 

[musterion]

Good. You raise yours your way, leave mine to me.

 

[annabenedetti]

Good. You raise yours your way, leave mine to me.

Fine, I'll address this to all the fathers out there who want to raise their kids in a bubble so they can control every last facet of their lives:

You'll come to regret it some day. There are ways to raise good kids without being a control freak.

 

[annabenedetti]

When your kids are small, you're their sun, moon and stars. Someday you won't be, and some parents don't handle that well.

Don't be afraid to let your kids question your authority. Let them, and explain to them why you've made the decision you have. Show them how you reasoned it out, don't always fall back on "Because I said so."

Encourage their curiosity.

Don't make a threat you're not willing to keep. Don't make unreasonable threats.

Expect the best from your kids before you assume the worst.

You can discipline kids well without corporal punishment.

When they're older, let them stay current with fashion and culture trends, within reasonable bounds.

Shall I go on?

 

[annabenedetti]

When they're grown, may you have a wonderful relationship with them, and may you be willing to let go when the time comes.

I saw this yesterday, and it brought tears to my eyes, because I remember singing with my kids in the car. Great times.

What wonderful love between this father and son.

 

[Crucible]

Sons would also benefit from limited exposure.

No they wouldn't.

Boys are whom a lot of men do not want their daughter around, who happen to be on social media. If it were all female, such men wouldn't care.

I see females on their phones all day long, and see them expose their selves online (both physically and emotionally). Boys don't typically do these things.

And then you have cases like Amanda Todd.
And then.. it's everyone else' fault.

But hey, don't blame the victim right :idunno:

 

[annabenedetti]

Let the girls mow the lawn and let the boys fix breakfast. Mix up the chores so they learn how to move across gender boundaries. And no, that's not a scary idea.

Don't just read them prewritten bedtime stories, make up stories and build on them, and even let the kids participate. The kids won't forget the characters you create, and they'll keep you straight on the storyline and you'll have another family tradition to remember with fondness. (I wish I'd done more of this one, I didn't figure that out until the kids were mostly too old for stories.)

Tell them you love them. Every day. Some parents aren't very good at doing that very often or ever.

 

[glassjester]

The problem is that the basic corruption of human nature is exponentially floating to the top of modern society as people (including many children) become increasingly vain, selfish, arrogant and lawless. Is this a new problem? No. But social media, and kids' easy access to it, seems to make it worse as the cycle feeds and grows upon itself.

Definitely.

I can't bring myself to even sign in to Facebook. Haven't been on in over a year. It's hard to see family, friends, and coworkers in the same light, after seeing a particularly trashy status update or photo. Or the incessant and shameless bragging and self-promotion.

It just got nauseating.

 

[annabenedetti]

Definitely.

I can't bring myself to even sign in to Facebook. Haven't been on in over a year. It's hard to see family, friends, and coworkers in the same light, after seeing a particularly trashy status update or photo. Or the incessant and shameless bragging and self-promotion.

It just got nauseating.

I've never had a Facebook account, and I haven't regretted that decision. Having said that, it concerns me to see young people so attached to social media. It's not Facebook for them so much anymore - once their moms and aunties got involved, it wasn't cool anymore. The young people I know use Messenger, Instagram and snapchat, and for kids younger than that there are platforms I'm sure I don't even know about.

There's a lot to be concerned about. Screen addiction is a huge problem. So is the lack of an awareness of any kind of a privacy boundary. Many kids don't really care who sees what they post, nor do they care who's tracking their clicks and compiling their digital identity. And they don't realize what that's going to mean when they go to look for a job and their prospective employer does a google search. I've seen an 18 month old open her mom's phone photo app and swipe through the photos. We don't know yet what this kind of cognitive and sensory overload is doing to young brains still laying down their neuronal pathways. I worry about the increasing blurring of the line between what's real and what's virtually real.

Not to mention missing life as it goes by:

 

[ClimateSanity]

Within reason, of course. It's not a good idea to raise a kid in a bubble.

Teach them the way you want them to go. Since you cannot hide them from corrupting influences, teach them what the end of the path they are being exposed to brings. More important than either of these is to gain their trust and respect . Don't be a hypocrite. Everything you do is teaching them something.

Really get to know your kids. Understand their world. Listen and pay attention.

If you excel in these areas, unwanted worldly exposure won't be as much of a problem.

 

[annabenedetti]

Teach them the way you want them to go. Since you cannot hide them from corrupting influences, teach them what the end of the path they are being exposed to brings. More important than either of these is to gain their trust and respect . Don't be a hypocrite. Everything you do is teaching them something.

Really get to know your kids. Understand their world. Listen and pay attention.

If you excel in these areas, unwanted worldly exposure won't be as much of a problem.

This may be a first, but I agree with all that you said there.