|
|
|
|
|
|
by mental1896
2594 days ago
|
|
|
>I'm trying to explain this stuff to my kids, but the simple truth is they are cognitively capable of getting hooked by this stuff years before they are cognitively capable of understanding the analysis, and then it's another few years of brain development after that when mere intellectual comprehension of what is being fired at them can be transformed into concrete actions to defend themselves. Don't be too hasty to sell the young-uns short. Just the other day my 9yo was remarking about how addictive his youtube feed is and voluntarily declared that he just has to cut it off at some point in order to do things that he needs to do. I was gobsmacked. Maybe when they grow up with this stuff constantly in their faces, they have a better chance at learning how to deal with it in a healthy way. |
|
|
I should also say that I'm not pursuing an "absolutely not, never ever" policy. I'm trying to walk them into the pool slowly; they've actually purchased a couple of Minecraft skin packs & mods, for instance. And then we've discussed whether it was worth it (sometimes yes, sometimes no), and whether they got their money's worth. (And this is happening in a way that's less klunky and parental than this sounds; one of the things I emphasize is how I have to do this myself for real in my own purchases, with examples, for instance, it's not all a talk-down and sound sanctimonious speech.)
After all, it's obviously also no solution to leave them entirely unexposed to this stuff and then they hit 18 (or whatever) and it's the first time they've seen any of these techniques deployed. That's got way too high a probability of going really poorly.
I'm also trying to use the very system against itself. I think the very abundance of all their options can help desensitize them from some of this stuff, via much the same (I have no word for this) cognitive effect that leads to the phenomenon where one just browses Netflix endlessly but never quite watches anything. They've got Netflix, a fairly decent video game collection that is already paid for, and more options than you can swing a cat at for $5, which is definitely not the position I was in as a kid. A $20 Fortnite skin is several great $5 games on sale, or several movie rentals, or all kinds of other things that if they sit and think about it for a moment are more appealing than 1/3rd a brand-new AAA game on a single skin... or at the very least, it really helps contextualize how big the ask is for them. Skins on Fortnite are absurdly expensive for what they are. (Which is also evidence just how much "social networking effects" are in those prices, IMHO.)