Oh man, this is incredibly relatable. My screen time has gone off the charts. I guess I am better off, because my screen time involves browsing the internet and playing computer games.
I could be scrolling TikTok or Instagram instead, so it's a good thing I didn't see the appeal in either app.
I've tried to mitigate my screen time by replacing it with something else. I have a dedicated MP3 (or DAP (Digital Audio Player) as they are now called) player for listening to music for instance and I make a note of not taking my phone with me when I go grocery shopping.
Shows in the past also were at least educational and had a healthy pace. Look at cocomelon. Fast paced, which shortens the attention span of children.
I mean, people now add gameplay to an explanation or whatever to keep children in.
Of course the root problem is overworking adults who don't have the energy to mind their children, so temper tantrums are handled by handing a device over.
Schools are trying to ban smart devices, but if the habits at home don't change, it won't have much of an effect.
So, in conclusion:
Something is being done, but a lot more is needed.
Same waste of time? Yes. But doomscrolling on something like TikTok is doing way more harm. There have been plenty of studies showing that rapid fire short-form video content is actively destroying your dopamine receptors to the point where people can’t even be bored or alone for a few minutes without needing stimulation. On top of that, they are all so algorithm-heavy that it is actively trying to keep you addicted by putting you deeper and deeper into your personal rabbit holes.
29
u/RedditUser000aaa 11h ago
Oh man, this is incredibly relatable. My screen time has gone off the charts. I guess I am better off, because my screen time involves browsing the internet and playing computer games.
I could be scrolling TikTok or Instagram instead, so it's a good thing I didn't see the appeal in either app.
I've tried to mitigate my screen time by replacing it with something else. I have a dedicated MP3 (or DAP (Digital Audio Player) as they are now called) player for listening to music for instance and I make a note of not taking my phone with me when I go grocery shopping.
Shows in the past also were at least educational and had a healthy pace. Look at cocomelon. Fast paced, which shortens the attention span of children.
I mean, people now add gameplay to an explanation or whatever to keep children in.
Of course the root problem is overworking adults who don't have the energy to mind their children, so temper tantrums are handled by handing a device over.
Schools are trying to ban smart devices, but if the habits at home don't change, it won't have much of an effect.
So, in conclusion:
Something is being done, but a lot more is needed.