The push to lower the voting age is predicated on the typical leftist assumption that the "moral arc of the universe" is in their favor - that most young people are (or will become) natural leftists like them, and that most right-wingers are old fogies who will gradually die out.
That's not how human psychology and social/cultural evolution actually works however.
It's ironic how the people who tell you that: "reality has a left-wing bias" are often the very same people who think: "Everyone who lived before the 1960s was a stupid and evil theocratic fascist and can thus be ignored" - not realizing the contradiction between those two beliefs.
Age verification: easy technical solution: parents should be able to enter their kids age on the smartphone itself so that download of certain apps is not possible. No need for later age verification, the phone knows the kids age.
this is an interesting solution to the conundrum. I put my 1A rights high on the list of American things to preserve, and any verification on the Internet, no matter how “noble” is a no-no to me. But, why not on the phones and computers? Most kids would probably get around it if it’s a setting, but what if it’s a factory setting that requires the user to prove their age once, at initial powerup and after that, it manages what’s allowed and isn’t allowed. All Social Media apps would need to state the minimum ages to be sold on Google Play and whatever Apple uses (Android girl here). I’m sure there’s still something here.
In the end though, parents should care about this first and foremost. It’s not so hard to say no to a smartphone. My own sons were not allowed smartphones, computers of their own, or gaming systems until they 1) held a job outside of the home that was paid and 2) got their driver’s license. Yes, that meant they were at least 16. Until then, they shared the family computer in the living room. It was not difficult, no drama, no pain. In exchange for this living arrangement, I promised them any computer, gaming system, and phone they wanted when the fulfilled their requirements and that I’d pay their smartphone bill until they were 26. They’re now 25 and 27, one is even a video game designer for a major AAA gaming studio, the other a PhD candidate in Materials Science Engineering.
No, your kids don’t need any technology to become creators later in life.
They’re actually more likely to be successful because you allowed their frontal lobes to grow. Try brain health as a parenting goal, it’s a good one.
Louise’s theory on the birth rates rings true to me. I’m Israeli, and Israel is of course the only developed nation with above-replacement birth rates; I’ve long thought that Israel’s birth rates have to do with the population-level experience of existential danger, which, on a deeper level, comes back to an awareness of mortality. Loved listening!
Totally agree regarding the ban on social media. It's just a way of extending State control while further undermining parental authority. By the way, your chat with Louise Perry was fab!
As I mention in a comment below, this is an interesting solution to the conundrum. I put my 1A rights high on the list of American things to preserve, and any verification on the Internet, no matter how “noble” is a no-no to me. But, why not on the phones and computers? Most kids would probably get around it if it’s a software setting, but what if it’s a factory setting that requires the user to prove their age once at initial powerup and after that, it manages what’s allowed and isn’t allowed. All Social Media apps would need to state the minimum ages to be sold on Google Play and whatever Apple uses (Android girl here). I’m sure there’s still something here that violates free speech.
In the end though, parents should care about this first and foremost. It’s not so hard to say no to a smartphone. My own sons were not allowed smartphones, computers of their own, or gaming systems until they 1) held a job outside of the home that was paid and 2) got their driver’s license. Yes, that meant they were at least 16. Until then, they shared the family computer in the living room and had a flip phone for emergencies. It was not difficult, no drama, no pain. In exchange for this living arrangement, I promised them any computer, gaming system, and phone they wanted when the fulfilled their requirements and that I’d pay their smartphone bill until they were 26. They’re now 25 and 27, one is even a video game designer for a major AAA gaming studio, the other a PhD candidate in Materials Science Engineering.
No, your kids don’t need any technology to become creators later in life.
They’re actually more likely to be successful because you allowed their frontal lobes to grow when they were under your care. Try brain health as a parenting goal, it’s a good one.
I’m fully convinced by Siegel’s Information State work. The West is already operating on post-liberal realities.
We had better learn the rules of this new game fast. Because none of the old moves work and I’m convinced it’s pointless to play a new game with old moves.
Siegel's work on this is excellent (review incoming when I have a moment) and yes, actually existing post-liberalism is not at all the tweedy Chestertonian distributism we ordered
I am thoroughly excited to read your Siegel review. Thank you for dedicating some time to that, and thank you also for the turn of phrase "not at all the tweedy Chestertonian distributism we ordered" :D
Yet the same government want to give 16 year olds the vote.
"Hey there kids! You can all have a bit of democracy, as a treat, but only after we've banned you from scrolling right-wing media"
The push to lower the voting age is predicated on the typical leftist assumption that the "moral arc of the universe" is in their favor - that most young people are (or will become) natural leftists like them, and that most right-wingers are old fogies who will gradually die out.
That's not how human psychology and social/cultural evolution actually works however.
It's ironic how the people who tell you that: "reality has a left-wing bias" are often the very same people who think: "Everyone who lived before the 1960s was a stupid and evil theocratic fascist and can thus be ignored" - not realizing the contradiction between those two beliefs.
Of course. If we let them vote, we need to make sure they can only access approved information.
Age verification: easy technical solution: parents should be able to enter their kids age on the smartphone itself so that download of certain apps is not possible. No need for later age verification, the phone knows the kids age.
this is an interesting solution to the conundrum. I put my 1A rights high on the list of American things to preserve, and any verification on the Internet, no matter how “noble” is a no-no to me. But, why not on the phones and computers? Most kids would probably get around it if it’s a setting, but what if it’s a factory setting that requires the user to prove their age once, at initial powerup and after that, it manages what’s allowed and isn’t allowed. All Social Media apps would need to state the minimum ages to be sold on Google Play and whatever Apple uses (Android girl here). I’m sure there’s still something here.
In the end though, parents should care about this first and foremost. It’s not so hard to say no to a smartphone. My own sons were not allowed smartphones, computers of their own, or gaming systems until they 1) held a job outside of the home that was paid and 2) got their driver’s license. Yes, that meant they were at least 16. Until then, they shared the family computer in the living room. It was not difficult, no drama, no pain. In exchange for this living arrangement, I promised them any computer, gaming system, and phone they wanted when the fulfilled their requirements and that I’d pay their smartphone bill until they were 26. They’re now 25 and 27, one is even a video game designer for a major AAA gaming studio, the other a PhD candidate in Materials Science Engineering.
No, your kids don’t need any technology to become creators later in life.
They’re actually more likely to be successful because you allowed their frontal lobes to grow. Try brain health as a parenting goal, it’s a good one.
Louise’s theory on the birth rates rings true to me. I’m Israeli, and Israel is of course the only developed nation with above-replacement birth rates; I’ve long thought that Israel’s birth rates have to do with the population-level experience of existential danger, which, on a deeper level, comes back to an awareness of mortality. Loved listening!
Totally agree regarding the ban on social media. It's just a way of extending State control while further undermining parental authority. By the way, your chat with Louise Perry was fab!
As I mention in a comment below, this is an interesting solution to the conundrum. I put my 1A rights high on the list of American things to preserve, and any verification on the Internet, no matter how “noble” is a no-no to me. But, why not on the phones and computers? Most kids would probably get around it if it’s a software setting, but what if it’s a factory setting that requires the user to prove their age once at initial powerup and after that, it manages what’s allowed and isn’t allowed. All Social Media apps would need to state the minimum ages to be sold on Google Play and whatever Apple uses (Android girl here). I’m sure there’s still something here that violates free speech.
In the end though, parents should care about this first and foremost. It’s not so hard to say no to a smartphone. My own sons were not allowed smartphones, computers of their own, or gaming systems until they 1) held a job outside of the home that was paid and 2) got their driver’s license. Yes, that meant they were at least 16. Until then, they shared the family computer in the living room and had a flip phone for emergencies. It was not difficult, no drama, no pain. In exchange for this living arrangement, I promised them any computer, gaming system, and phone they wanted when the fulfilled their requirements and that I’d pay their smartphone bill until they were 26. They’re now 25 and 27, one is even a video game designer for a major AAA gaming studio, the other a PhD candidate in Materials Science Engineering.
No, your kids don’t need any technology to become creators later in life.
They’re actually more likely to be successful because you allowed their frontal lobes to grow when they were under your care. Try brain health as a parenting goal, it’s a good one.
I’m fully convinced by Siegel’s Information State work. The West is already operating on post-liberal realities.
We had better learn the rules of this new game fast. Because none of the old moves work and I’m convinced it’s pointless to play a new game with old moves.
Siegel's work on this is excellent (review incoming when I have a moment) and yes, actually existing post-liberalism is not at all the tweedy Chestertonian distributism we ordered
I am thoroughly excited to read your Siegel review. Thank you for dedicating some time to that, and thank you also for the turn of phrase "not at all the tweedy Chestertonian distributism we ordered" :D
Kale Zelden recommended Siegel’s Tablet essay yesterday, which I read while waiting at work for work to need to be done.
I have Siegel’s 2020 “Data-Driven Defeat: Information versus Interests in Afghanistan” pulled up for today.
Looking forward to your review! Thanks Mary!
Best duo 🙌
Great conversation with Louise Perry - I listened while polishing all my boots as I had none respectable enough to wear!