[josho]

Reminds me of Brave New World, where the general population lives in a shallow lifestyle void of any meaning.

Seem like a pattern, predicting that future, is emerging. E.g. My parent's teenage hobby was musical instruments. Mine was playing video games. Kids today it seems is responding to selfies.

pg also has a good essay on the Acceleration of Addictiveness* that seems relevant.

*http://paulgraham.com/addiction.html

[peteretep]

    > shallow lifestyle void of any meaning

Sounds to me like they're communicating with other humans.

[katbyte]

could say the same about facebook likes & comments and how a phone conversation still feels far deeper.

[Thirdegree]

"Kids today it seems is responding to selfies"

Which is more social than either of the other hobbies you mentioned. How is it shallow and void of any meaning?

[vacri]

> Which is more social than either of the other hobbies you mentioned.

The girl in TFA just dumps the snapchats she's sent, flicking through them just to be rid of them. She's not being social, she's just incrementing a counter to boast about. Well, unless you're calling the boasting the social part, I guess, but I wouldn't say that that was more social than learning a musical instrument.