[dilDDoS]

> Eventually maybe the best experiences will be had with digital companions, etc.

Obviously I can't speak for all of Gen Z (and I realize we're no longer "the younger generation"), but my friends and I don't want any part of this, and feel optimistic rather than bitter that things won't go the way you're describing. I seldom meet anyone in my age group that isn't talking about moving away from social media, cancelling software subscriptions, all of the things that millenials and Gen X seem to be so excited to continue building and promoting.

Even at my workplace the "older" people are the ones that are excited about stuff like AI jazz remixes of rap songs and AI generated short films, while literally everyone else under 30 finds it pretty cringe and makes fun of them in DMs.

So all that to say, I disagree with your outlook, but I guess time will tell.

[augment_me]

Talking about and doing something are different things. What are the social and market structures around your friends that lets them avoid having a smartphone, cancelling subscriptions, and uninstalling everything? Do you see this getting better with media consolidations from Substack(Andreassen), Twitter(Musk), and Youtube channels by the hyperscalars/billionaries and questionable merges like Paramount and Warner Bros?

When the social culture is based around platforms and content that has subscriptions, and when media and what you see is consolidated, you can't just exit without losing a big part of the social context because the people around you are eating the same thing.

I dislike slop as much as anyone else. I think it puts a higher burden on the receiver of information to filter the signal in a pile of trash. I just don't really see an actual way out if you look at it from a societal level with the existing structures and incentives.

[thinkingtoilet]

> you can't just exit without losing a big part of the social context because the people around you are eating the same thing.

That's exactly it. The goal is lose a big part of the social context. It driven by rage bait, AI bots, state actors, and a thousand other influences that are predominantly negative. Of course amazing things happen online. However, the good is not worth bad. I'm raising my kids and they will never have a smart phone. Will they miss out on somethings? Of course! They also won't have their attention span destroyed, their ability to be bored and creative in the real world destroyed, they won't have body issues, they won't be caught up in the alt-right pipeline, they won't have their brains fried by content like Mr. Beast which is designed to be as hyper and addicting as possible. Missing out on the current social context is the entire goal. People were happier before it.

[augment_me]

This structure expects all of their friends to live in similar systems. Otherwise their friends will talk about games, memes, series at school while your kids are isolated away as they are not a part of the culture and not in the loop.

I think this is only possible if you find a community with similar values, like religious, or hippie, where the focus is put on other things. Otherwise you might deprive your kids of what you want to give them because they will not feel socially connected.

[thinkingtoilet]

I am not an idiot. I'm well aware they will pick up things at school My 5 year old already knows who Mr. Beast is. He's never watched a video of his and never will at my home. If he watches one or two at a friends house that of course is going to happen. But he won't be consuming that poison regularly every day. My 8 year old is doing just fine. Happy. Healthy. Active. Lots of friends. And when they're older and fully functioning adults unlike some of these Gen Z zombies who have had their brain fried, they will thank me.

[augment_me]

I hope you will be right. I think the teenage years might be hard for this, good luck.