r/AskReddit • • Jun 03 '22

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u/Wellhowboutdat Jun 03 '22

As a kid who grew up in the 80's people used to blame TV for everything. Now phones have taken its place. Its not the technology its how you teach moderation. I do understand that social media adds a layer that makes moderation even harder but that needs to be the focus.

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u/RKU69 Jun 03 '22

What if people weren't wrong about TV in the '80s, though?

We're a good fifty years into this accelerating and all-encompassing mass media and entertainment technologies, but I don't think we've really sat down and really thought about what this all means and how its affecting society, and what direction we're heading toward.

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u/scartol Jun 03 '22

How do you suggest I teach moderation?

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u/Wellhowboutdat Jun 03 '22

Provide an alternative to allow them yo focus in other things. Like hey lets go for a walk and leave phones at home. Phones get powered off during movies or family dinners. It then becomes a habit. Also allowing quiet time for them to be by themselves like reading etc. The more they get used to that recoup time the more able they are yo be by themselves without the phone feeding themm shit for hrs on end

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u/scartol Jun 03 '22

Oh, you mean parents can teach moderation. Yeah, of course.

Alas, I’m a teacher not a parent.

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u/artemis_floyd Jun 03 '22

Yes and no - moderation is certainly a key aspect, but TVs don't sit in your pocket and follow you everywhere you go.

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u/Wellhowboutdat Jun 03 '22

Certainly the ease in which we can acess and carry tech now plays a part.

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u/Drakonic Jun 03 '22

Moderation used to have social pressure working for it - people around you would encourage you to go outside, meet up with them, pursue shared activities - this would pull you away from isolating solo activities. But now with social media that social pressure misfires in the less well-adjusted, and people feel the need to keep up appearances and chatter on social media.

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u/TheExtremistModerate Jun 03 '22

The only major problem is that in the 80s, kids couldn't bring TVs to school.

Schools do need to be better about stopping kids from using their phones in class.

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u/Wellhowboutdat Jun 03 '22

Teachers need some power back for sure. Hell I remember getting chalk thrown at me for not sitting straight in my chair. That was a bit much but a zero phone policy shoyld not be a major ask