Are social networks unhealthy for minors?
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@resl You don't see how I conflate the two. They are separate in my mind, to the best of my own knowledge. What I do see is that the culture and norms many of us have learned on the commecial platforms, and that are perhaps even independent of them, like posing, self-obsessive thought, lots of anxious mind-reading of others and popularity contests, they exist here too. @evan
I think that to attribute social ills to social networks is like attributing pain to one's own body.
I think the question of whether social networks are unhealthy or not tricks us into thinking more generally about the issue than could possibly be useful for us in trying to actually deal with the issue (of minors' "healthiness" or what is "unhealthy" for kids).
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@malte But do you think this social platform is net unhealthy for people as it is right now?
@evan Yes, as it is right now, unfortunately still part of the larger trends that overall make us unhappy. My theory is the larger context has much bigger impact than the fediverse can reverse as it is. We are in most respects a product of the larger context.
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I think that to attribute social ills to social networks is like attributing pain to one's own body.
I think the question of whether social networks are unhealthy or not tricks us into thinking more generally about the issue than could possibly be useful for us in trying to actually deal with the issue (of minors' "healthiness" or what is "unhealthy" for kids).
@resl The analogy doesn't quite hold up when you consider that social networks in the sense that I assume it is meant in the poll (the vast social networks through the internet) are a relatively new phenomenon. I believe our community skills and abilities to attune to other people have not progressed fast enough to meet the scale of people coming into our lives these days. And that the effect overall is unhealthy. @evan
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@resl The analogy doesn't quite hold up when you consider that social networks in the sense that I assume it is meant in the poll (the vast social networks through the internet) are a relatively new phenomenon. I believe our community skills and abilities to attune to other people have not progressed fast enough to meet the scale of people coming into our lives these days. And that the effect overall is unhealthy. @evan
@malte @evan That's right - if we stick to the social media platform definition of "social networks" then surely I can see the difference. I was referring to the society/social group definition of social networks.
Using the platform definition, I still think blaming the platforms distracts us from the reason that the big platforms are the way they are. I think I understand and agree with you. I'll stop trying to turn this into a conversation I like better lol.
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@malte @evan That's right - if we stick to the social media platform definition of "social networks" then surely I can see the difference. I was referring to the society/social group definition of social networks.
Using the platform definition, I still think blaming the platforms distracts us from the reason that the big platforms are the way they are. I think I understand and agree with you. I'll stop trying to turn this into a conversation I like better lol.
@resl I think I get you now. Your working definition of "social network" in this thread is independent of online/AFK - you're thinking of networks of people that don't necessarily have any contact via internet, is that it?
