Was it worth it ?

waist.it said

ANDY00 said

waist.it said

Huw said

ANDY00 said

Theta Aeterna said

ANDY00 said

Stu H said

Many of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s weren't at home simply to get away from our parents.

Many of us - if faced with the same choices as a kid then, that kids have now - would absolutely be locked in our bedroom on the PC, games console, phone etc. We just didn't have the same distractions.

We used to play in the streets - football, kerby, kick the post, bulldog, hopscotch, skipping etc - but that's because we *could*.

Private cars were an expensive luxury and in the 70s / early 80s, alternatively travel was available.

LDNs have been created to enable safe environments to get kids back in the streets - and what's happened? People still drive their cars through them; they set fire to planters, rip out bollards, pull down cameras ... just so they can drive their car. So what if a group of kids want to play without getting interrupted every few seconds.

Faced with that kind of choice ... most kids are going to go the path of least resistance and stay indoors.

As for communication between kids... I can't remember a deep meaningful conversation with my best friend ... certainly not about the abuse I was getting at home [not that it was considered abuse in the 70s], or that I thought I was gay [which I did for a while], or even that I felt that something was wrong, and that I was different [it was, and I was. I had undiagnosed PTSD from an early age, that led to a full scale nervous breakdown and an evening with a bottle of vodka, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and a very sharp knife]

The Internet is just a complex part in the jigsaw puzzle that is moden life... and like it or not, it's *our* fault that kids want to escape.

You were confused, sure, like all kids are at some point. But now, with social media and the internet, kids who feel unsure about who they are get pushed into these categories so quickly. They might end up on hormone replacement therapy, or worse, go through a full transition and regret it later in life. It’s like they’re being pressured into making huge, life-changing decisions when they’re still figuring things out.

On top of that, apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger are breeding grounds for people to coerce kids into sending images or talking to strangers they wouldn’t normally approach in real life. We allow the internet to track our phones, and with the way kids upload constant updates and images, it’s way too easy for anyone to know exactly where they are almost all of the time.

When we were kids, we spent most of our time outside, and everyone in the neighborhood knew who we were, both kids and adults. If a strange car or person was talking to you, the whole neighborhood would be aware of it. But now, if you see a kid talking to someone in the street, whether on foot or in a car, chances are you won’t recognize the kid, the car, or give it a second thought.

This is the crux of it. Subconsciousness is not written randomly like in the 70s and 80s. It's written deliberately with malice and kids are forced into groups by glorifying each group. It's heart breaking as a parent to watch those things happening to my kids and their friends all the time, from school to internet.

The random interaction without physical clues is another problem for the kids. They just can't use intuition or 6th sense to smell danger. 

Which is the reason for the question, because I’m certainly, to be honest, seeing more positives to being without it and definitely more safety. The Amish communities have no internet or electricity and are much more community-based. They have 65% fewer assaults than the whole of the U.S., 90% fewer murders, 80% less theft, and drug and alcohol use is under 1%. As a close-knit community, depression is far lower than in the rest of the country, almost nonexistent. Studies have also shown they have much lower rates of cancer, likely due to the fact they aren’t eating fast food, smoking, or drinking. Without the internet, their children don’t even think about it. if i was young and raising kids again i would be very worried for what they are axposed to on the internet now.

Google is an excellent tool.

https://salomafurlong.com/aboutamish/2022/10/how-prevalent-is-sexual-abuse-among-the-amish/

https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2020/01/14/amish-sexual-abuse-assault/

Good post.

Secretive groups of god-botherers pose a significantly greater risk than the internet, IMHO. For example, the Roman Catholic Church has been indulging in physical and sexual abuse on an industrial scale for centuries. And it's not just the Holy Romans. Try popping the words "youth pastor abuse" in a search engine of your choice. Advent of the internet, and particularly the worldwide web has actually enabled victims to expose some of this systemic abuse. 

As the late Frank Zappa famously quipped: My best advice to anyone who wants to raise a happy, mentally healthy child is: Keep him or her as far away from a church as you can.

Edited by waist.it

I wouldn’t really classify the Roman Catholic movement as 'secretive' by any stretch of the imagination. And yes, since the dawn of time, religion has been used as a tool to wage wars and control populations, but for a large portion of the planet, it’s also well known for giving people purpose and a sense of right and wrong, among other things. Like a gun, it’s not the weapon itself, but who is pointing it that makes it dangerous. I’m not endorsing religion at all, but I do appreciate the part that encourages a sense of family and local community values, which have been lost in much of the modern Western population.

But this post is about modern technology and the internet in family life, not the politics of religious groups

Edited by ANDY00

Roman Catholic Church not secretive? lol Try sticking the words "apostolic archives" in a search engine of your choice... ;-) Or perhaps search for the countless cases where abusive priests have been quietly shuffled off to other parishes, rather than frogmarched to the nearest police station. Or the inordinate amount of money some US dioceses have spent covering-up for its operatives. "Secretive" barely covers it.

The point being that modern technology is finally enabling victims to expose the abuse they have suffered. And that I consider to be a very positive outcome.

Edited by waist.it

The Roman Catholic Church had an army of millions of followers and an actual army, and for centuries, it was one of the most dominant ideologies on earth. But let’s be real—name one major movement or institution that doesn’t have secrets? Whether it’s the royal family, goverments, the BBC, Diddy, or even Garry Glitter, these huge personalities and organizations were celebrated on TV and online for years before anyone dared to stand up against them. Sure, the internet eventually played a role in bringing some of them down, but not before it became a platform that fed them thousands of underage victims, fueling their child trafficking rings. The very same internet that later exposed them also enabled their abuse to thrive in the shadows for far too long. It also worked as a shield, giving them such a large following and fame that people were too afraid to come forward, fearing backlash for even daring to question the image they portrayed.

ANDY00 said

waist.it said

Huw said

ANDY00 said

Theta Aeterna said

ANDY00 said

Stu H said

Many of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s weren't at home simply to get away from our parents.

Many of us - if faced with the same choices as a kid then, that kids have now - would absolutely be locked in our bedroom on the PC, games console, phone etc. We just didn't have the same distractions.

We used to play in the streets - football, kerby, kick the post, bulldog, hopscotch, skipping etc - but that's because we *could*.

Private cars were an expensive luxury and in the 70s / early 80s, alternatively travel was available.

LDNs have been created to enable safe environments to get kids back in the streets - and what's happened? People still drive their cars through them; they set fire to planters, rip out bollards, pull down cameras ... just so they can drive their car. So what if a group of kids want to play without getting interrupted every few seconds.

Faced with that kind of choice ... most kids are going to go the path of least resistance and stay indoors.

As for communication between kids... I can't remember a deep meaningful conversation with my best friend ... certainly not about the abuse I was getting at home [not that it was considered abuse in the 70s], or that I thought I was gay [which I did for a while], or even that I felt that something was wrong, and that I was different [it was, and I was. I had undiagnosed PTSD from an early age, that led to a full scale nervous breakdown and an evening with a bottle of vodka, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and a very sharp knife]

The Internet is just a complex part in the jigsaw puzzle that is moden life... and like it or not, it's *our* fault that kids want to escape.

You were confused, sure, like all kids are at some point. But now, with social media and the internet, kids who feel unsure about who they are get pushed into these categories so quickly. They might end up on hormone replacement therapy, or worse, go through a full transition and regret it later in life. It’s like they’re being pressured into making huge, life-changing decisions when they’re still figuring things out.

On top of that, apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger are breeding grounds for people to coerce kids into sending images or talking to strangers they wouldn’t normally approach in real life. We allow the internet to track our phones, and with the way kids upload constant updates and images, it’s way too easy for anyone to know exactly where they are almost all of the time.

When we were kids, we spent most of our time outside, and everyone in the neighborhood knew who we were, both kids and adults. If a strange car or person was talking to you, the whole neighborhood would be aware of it. But now, if you see a kid talking to someone in the street, whether on foot or in a car, chances are you won’t recognize the kid, the car, or give it a second thought.

This is the crux of it. Subconsciousness is not written randomly like in the 70s and 80s. It's written deliberately with malice and kids are forced into groups by glorifying each group. It's heart breaking as a parent to watch those things happening to my kids and their friends all the time, from school to internet.

The random interaction without physical clues is another problem for the kids. They just can't use intuition or 6th sense to smell danger. 

Which is the reason for the question, because I’m certainly, to be honest, seeing more positives to being without it and definitely more safety. The Amish communities have no internet or electricity and are much more community-based. They have 65% fewer assaults than the whole of the U.S., 90% fewer murders, 80% less theft, and drug and alcohol use is under 1%. As a close-knit community, depression is far lower than in the rest of the country, almost nonexistent. Studies have also shown they have much lower rates of cancer, likely due to the fact they aren’t eating fast food, smoking, or drinking. Without the internet, their children don’t even think about it. if i was young and raising kids again i would be very worried for what they are axposed to on the internet now.

Google is an excellent tool.

https://salomafurlong.com/aboutamish/2022/10/how-prevalent-is-sexual-abuse-among-the-amish/

https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2020/01/14/amish-sexual-abuse-assault/

Good post.

Secretive groups of god-botherers pose a significantly greater risk than the internet, IMHO. For example, the Roman Catholic Church has been indulging in physical and sexual abuse on an industrial scale for centuries. And it's not just the Holy Romans. Try popping the words "youth pastor abuse" in a search engine of your choice. Advent of the internet, and particularly the worldwide web has actually enabled victims to expose some of this systemic abuse. 

As the late Frank Zappa famously quipped: My best advice to anyone who wants to raise a happy, mentally healthy child is: Keep him or her as far away from a church as you can.

Edited by waist.it

I wouldn’t really classify the Roman Catholic movement as 'secretive' by any stretch of the imagination. And yes, since the dawn of time, religion has been used as a tool to wage wars and control populations, but for a large portion of the planet, it’s also well known for giving people purpose and a sense of right and wrong, among other things. Like a gun, it’s not the weapon itself, but who is pointing it that makes it dangerous. I’m not endorsing religion at all, but I do appreciate the part that encourages a sense of family and local community values, which have been lost in much of the modern Western population.

But this post is about modern technology and the internet in family life, not the politics of religious groups

Edited by ANDY00

Look up https://www.oneinfour.ie/

Founded in Ireland.

Funny name, isn’t it?

That’s because one in four kids were abused by Catholic Priests.

Often the child got told it was forgiven, and the priest got quietly moved to a new place to start again. Repeatedly, for many years.

Not secretive?

Huw said

ANDY00 said

waist.it said

Huw said

ANDY00 said

Theta Aeterna said

ANDY00 said

Stu H said

Many of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s weren't at home simply to get away from our parents.

Many of us - if faced with the same choices as a kid then, that kids have now - would absolutely be locked in our bedroom on the PC, games console, phone etc. We just didn't have the same distractions.

We used to play in the streets - football, kerby, kick the post, bulldog, hopscotch, skipping etc - but that's because we *could*.

Private cars were an expensive luxury and in the 70s / early 80s, alternatively travel was available.

LDNs have been created to enable safe environments to get kids back in the streets - and what's happened? People still drive their cars through them; they set fire to planters, rip out bollards, pull down cameras ... just so they can drive their car. So what if a group of kids want to play without getting interrupted every few seconds.

Faced with that kind of choice ... most kids are going to go the path of least resistance and stay indoors.

As for communication between kids... I can't remember a deep meaningful conversation with my best friend ... certainly not about the abuse I was getting at home [not that it was considered abuse in the 70s], or that I thought I was gay [which I did for a while], or even that I felt that something was wrong, and that I was different [it was, and I was. I had undiagnosed PTSD from an early age, that led to a full scale nervous breakdown and an evening with a bottle of vodka, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and a very sharp knife]

The Internet is just a complex part in the jigsaw puzzle that is moden life... and like it or not, it's *our* fault that kids want to escape.

You were confused, sure, like all kids are at some point. But now, with social media and the internet, kids who feel unsure about who they are get pushed into these categories so quickly. They might end up on hormone replacement therapy, or worse, go through a full transition and regret it later in life. It’s like they’re being pressured into making huge, life-changing decisions when they’re still figuring things out.

On top of that, apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger are breeding grounds for people to coerce kids into sending images or talking to strangers they wouldn’t normally approach in real life. We allow the internet to track our phones, and with the way kids upload constant updates and images, it’s way too easy for anyone to know exactly where they are almost all of the time.

When we were kids, we spent most of our time outside, and everyone in the neighborhood knew who we were, both kids and adults. If a strange car or person was talking to you, the whole neighborhood would be aware of it. But now, if you see a kid talking to someone in the street, whether on foot or in a car, chances are you won’t recognize the kid, the car, or give it a second thought.

This is the crux of it. Subconsciousness is not written randomly like in the 70s and 80s. It's written deliberately with malice and kids are forced into groups by glorifying each group. It's heart breaking as a parent to watch those things happening to my kids and their friends all the time, from school to internet.

The random interaction without physical clues is another problem for the kids. They just can't use intuition or 6th sense to smell danger. 

Which is the reason for the question, because I’m certainly, to be honest, seeing more positives to being without it and definitely more safety. The Amish communities have no internet or electricity and are much more community-based. They have 65% fewer assaults than the whole of the U.S., 90% fewer murders, 80% less theft, and drug and alcohol use is under 1%. As a close-knit community, depression is far lower than in the rest of the country, almost nonexistent. Studies have also shown they have much lower rates of cancer, likely due to the fact they aren’t eating fast food, smoking, or drinking. Without the internet, their children don’t even think about it. if i was young and raising kids again i would be very worried for what they are axposed to on the internet now.

Google is an excellent tool.

https://salomafurlong.com/aboutamish/2022/10/how-prevalent-is-sexual-abuse-among-the-amish/

https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2020/01/14/amish-sexual-abuse-assault/

Good post.

Secretive groups of god-botherers pose a significantly greater risk than the internet, IMHO. For example, the Roman Catholic Church has been indulging in physical and sexual abuse on an industrial scale for centuries. And it's not just the Holy Romans. Try popping the words "youth pastor abuse" in a search engine of your choice. Advent of the internet, and particularly the worldwide web has actually enabled victims to expose some of this systemic abuse. 

As the late Frank Zappa famously quipped: My best advice to anyone who wants to raise a happy, mentally healthy child is: Keep him or her as far away from a church as you can.

Edited by waist.it

I wouldn’t really classify the Roman Catholic movement as 'secretive' by any stretch of the imagination. And yes, since the dawn of time, religion has been used as a tool to wage wars and control populations, but for a large portion of the planet, it’s also well known for giving people purpose and a sense of right and wrong, among other things. Like a gun, it’s not the weapon itself, but who is pointing it that makes it dangerous. I’m not endorsing religion at all, but I do appreciate the part that encourages a sense of family and local community values, which have been lost in much of the modern Western population.

But this post is about modern technology and the internet in family life, not the politics of religious groups

Edited by ANDY00

Look up https://www.oneinfour.ie/

Founded in Ireland.

Funny name, isn’t it?

That’s because one in four kids were abused by Catholic Priests.

Often the child got told it was forgiven, and the priest got quietly moved to a new place to start again. Repeatedly, for many years.

Not secretive?

Again, this post has nothing to do with the politics of religion, so please don’t try to turn it into a political 'Me Too' movement! But all organizations, religions, famous people, and governments have secrets and dark sides. That happens with or without the internet. However, the internet has undoubtedly helped them, and others, reach levels of influence they probably wouldn’t have without it. So again, maybe in those cases, we’d be better off without it

ANDY00 said

Huw said

ANDY00 said

waist.it said

Huw said

ANDY00 said

Theta Aeterna said

ANDY00 said

Stu H said

Many of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s weren't at home simply to get away from our parents.

Many of us - if faced with the same choices as a kid then, that kids have now - would absolutely be locked in our bedroom on the PC, games console, phone etc. We just didn't have the same distractions.

We used to play in the streets - football, kerby, kick the post, bulldog, hopscotch, skipping etc - but that's because we *could*.

Private cars were an expensive luxury and in the 70s / early 80s, alternatively travel was available.

LDNs have been created to enable safe environments to get kids back in the streets - and what's happened? People still drive their cars through them; they set fire to planters, rip out bollards, pull down cameras ... just so they can drive their car. So what if a group of kids want to play without getting interrupted every few seconds.

Faced with that kind of choice ... most kids are going to go the path of least resistance and stay indoors.

As for communication between kids... I can't remember a deep meaningful conversation with my best friend ... certainly not about the abuse I was getting at home [not that it was considered abuse in the 70s], or that I thought I was gay [which I did for a while], or even that I felt that something was wrong, and that I was different [it was, and I was. I had undiagnosed PTSD from an early age, that led to a full scale nervous breakdown and an evening with a bottle of vodka, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and a very sharp knife]

The Internet is just a complex part in the jigsaw puzzle that is moden life... and like it or not, it's *our* fault that kids want to escape.

You were confused, sure, like all kids are at some point. But now, with social media and the internet, kids who feel unsure about who they are get pushed into these categories so quickly. They might end up on hormone replacement therapy, or worse, go through a full transition and regret it later in life. It’s like they’re being pressured into making huge, life-changing decisions when they’re still figuring things out.

On top of that, apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger are breeding grounds for people to coerce kids into sending images or talking to strangers they wouldn’t normally approach in real life. We allow the internet to track our phones, and with the way kids upload constant updates and images, it’s way too easy for anyone to know exactly where they are almost all of the time.

When we were kids, we spent most of our time outside, and everyone in the neighborhood knew who we were, both kids and adults. If a strange car or person was talking to you, the whole neighborhood would be aware of it. But now, if you see a kid talking to someone in the street, whether on foot or in a car, chances are you won’t recognize the kid, the car, or give it a second thought.

This is the crux of it. Subconsciousness is not written randomly like in the 70s and 80s. It's written deliberately with malice and kids are forced into groups by glorifying each group. It's heart breaking as a parent to watch those things happening to my kids and their friends all the time, from school to internet.

The random interaction without physical clues is another problem for the kids. They just can't use intuition or 6th sense to smell danger. 

Which is the reason for the question, because I’m certainly, to be honest, seeing more positives to being without it and definitely more safety. The Amish communities have no internet or electricity and are much more community-based. They have 65% fewer assaults than the whole of the U.S., 90% fewer murders, 80% less theft, and drug and alcohol use is under 1%. As a close-knit community, depression is far lower than in the rest of the country, almost nonexistent. Studies have also shown they have much lower rates of cancer, likely due to the fact they aren’t eating fast food, smoking, or drinking. Without the internet, their children don’t even think about it. if i was young and raising kids again i would be very worried for what they are axposed to on the internet now.

Google is an excellent tool.

https://salomafurlong.com/aboutamish/2022/10/how-prevalent-is-sexual-abuse-among-the-amish/

https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2020/01/14/amish-sexual-abuse-assault/

Good post.

Secretive groups of god-botherers pose a significantly greater risk than the internet, IMHO. For example, the Roman Catholic Church has been indulging in physical and sexual abuse on an industrial scale for centuries. And it's not just the Holy Romans. Try popping the words "youth pastor abuse" in a search engine of your choice. Advent of the internet, and particularly the worldwide web has actually enabled victims to expose some of this systemic abuse. 

As the late Frank Zappa famously quipped: My best advice to anyone who wants to raise a happy, mentally healthy child is: Keep him or her as far away from a church as you can.

Edited by waist.it

I wouldn’t really classify the Roman Catholic movement as 'secretive' by any stretch of the imagination. And yes, since the dawn of time, religion has been used as a tool to wage wars and control populations, but for a large portion of the planet, it’s also well known for giving people purpose and a sense of right and wrong, among other things. Like a gun, it’s not the weapon itself, but who is pointing it that makes it dangerous. I’m not endorsing religion at all, but I do appreciate the part that encourages a sense of family and local community values, which have been lost in much of the modern Western population.

But this post is about modern technology and the internet in family life, not the politics of religious groups

Edited by ANDY00

Look up https://www.oneinfour.ie/

Founded in Ireland.

Funny name, isn’t it?

That’s because one in four kids were abused by Catholic Priests.

Often the child got told it was forgiven, and the priest got quietly moved to a new place to start again. Repeatedly, for many years.

Not secretive?

Again, this post has nothing to do with the politics of religion, so please don’t try to turn it into a political 'Me Too' movement! But all organizations, religions, famous people, and governments have secrets and dark sides. That happens with or without the internet. However, the internet has undoubtedly helped them, and others, reach levels of influence they probably wouldn’t have without it. So again, maybe in those cases, we’d be better off without it

You brought religion into this post. Nobody else.

The wonderful childhood being an Amish kid.

Then the wonderful, non-secretive Catholic Church.

Both of which were facilitating child abuse long before the internet.

I think Internet was and Is positive in terms of finding out religious secrets and dirt under the rugs. It also let’s people connect who need help with who can provide that needed help. That said, it can also help h. Trafficing. It’s a double edged sword.

my problem is how we, the older generation fail to prevent our kids from being mind trapped. I feel powerless sometimes.

Huw said

ANDY00 said

Huw said

ANDY00 said

waist.it said

Huw said

ANDY00 said

Theta Aeterna said

ANDY00 said

Stu H said

Many of us that grew up in the 70s and 80s weren't at home simply to get away from our parents.

Many of us - if faced with the same choices as a kid then, that kids have now - would absolutely be locked in our bedroom on the PC, games console, phone etc. We just didn't have the same distractions.

We used to play in the streets - football, kerby, kick the post, bulldog, hopscotch, skipping etc - but that's because we *could*.

Private cars were an expensive luxury and in the 70s / early 80s, alternatively travel was available.

LDNs have been created to enable safe environments to get kids back in the streets - and what's happened? People still drive their cars through them; they set fire to planters, rip out bollards, pull down cameras ... just so they can drive their car. So what if a group of kids want to play without getting interrupted every few seconds.

Faced with that kind of choice ... most kids are going to go the path of least resistance and stay indoors.

As for communication between kids... I can't remember a deep meaningful conversation with my best friend ... certainly not about the abuse I was getting at home [not that it was considered abuse in the 70s], or that I thought I was gay [which I did for a while], or even that I felt that something was wrong, and that I was different [it was, and I was. I had undiagnosed PTSD from an early age, that led to a full scale nervous breakdown and an evening with a bottle of vodka, Pink Floyd's The Wall, and a very sharp knife]

The Internet is just a complex part in the jigsaw puzzle that is moden life... and like it or not, it's *our* fault that kids want to escape.

You were confused, sure, like all kids are at some point. But now, with social media and the internet, kids who feel unsure about who they are get pushed into these categories so quickly. They might end up on hormone replacement therapy, or worse, go through a full transition and regret it later in life. It’s like they’re being pressured into making huge, life-changing decisions when they’re still figuring things out.

On top of that, apps like Snapchat and Facebook Messenger are breeding grounds for people to coerce kids into sending images or talking to strangers they wouldn’t normally approach in real life. We allow the internet to track our phones, and with the way kids upload constant updates and images, it’s way too easy for anyone to know exactly where they are almost all of the time.

When we were kids, we spent most of our time outside, and everyone in the neighborhood knew who we were, both kids and adults. If a strange car or person was talking to you, the whole neighborhood would be aware of it. But now, if you see a kid talking to someone in the street, whether on foot or in a car, chances are you won’t recognize the kid, the car, or give it a second thought.

This is the crux of it. Subconsciousness is not written randomly like in the 70s and 80s. It's written deliberately with malice and kids are forced into groups by glorifying each group. It's heart breaking as a parent to watch those things happening to my kids and their friends all the time, from school to internet.

The random interaction without physical clues is another problem for the kids. They just can't use intuition or 6th sense to smell danger. 

Which is the reason for the question, because I’m certainly, to be honest, seeing more positives to being without it and definitely more safety. The Amish communities have no internet or electricity and are much more community-based. They have 65% fewer assaults than the whole of the U.S., 90% fewer murders, 80% less theft, and drug and alcohol use is under 1%. As a close-knit community, depression is far lower than in the rest of the country, almost nonexistent. Studies have also shown they have much lower rates of cancer, likely due to the fact they aren’t eating fast food, smoking, or drinking. Without the internet, their children don’t even think about it. if i was young and raising kids again i would be very worried for what they are axposed to on the internet now.

Google is an excellent tool.

https://salomafurlong.com/aboutamish/2022/10/how-prevalent-is-sexual-abuse-among-the-amish/

https://www.typeinvestigations.org/investigation/2020/01/14/amish-sexual-abuse-assault/

Good post.

Secretive groups of god-botherers pose a significantly greater risk than the internet, IMHO. For example, the Roman Catholic Church has been indulging in physical and sexual abuse on an industrial scale for centuries. And it's not just the Holy Romans. Try popping the words "youth pastor abuse" in a search engine of your choice. Advent of the internet, and particularly the worldwide web has actually enabled victims to expose some of this systemic abuse. 

As the late Frank Zappa famously quipped: My best advice to anyone who wants to raise a happy, mentally healthy child is: Keep him or her as far away from a church as you can.

Edited by waist.it

I wouldn’t really classify the Roman Catholic movement as 'secretive' by any stretch of the imagination. And yes, since the dawn of time, religion has been used as a tool to wage wars and control populations, but for a large portion of the planet, it’s also well known for giving people purpose and a sense of right and wrong, among other things. Like a gun, it’s not the weapon itself, but who is pointing it that makes it dangerous. I’m not endorsing religion at all, but I do appreciate the part that encourages a sense of family and local community values, which have been lost in much of the modern Western population.

But this post is about modern technology and the internet in family life, not the politics of religious groups

Edited by ANDY00

Look up https://www.oneinfour.ie/

Founded in Ireland.

Funny name, isn’t it?

That’s because one in four kids were abused by Catholic Priests.

Often the child got told it was forgiven, and the priest got quietly moved to a new place to start again. Repeatedly, for many years.

Not secretive?

Again, this post has nothing to do with the politics of religion, so please don’t try to turn it into a political 'Me Too' movement! But all organizations, religions, famous people, and governments have secrets and dark sides. That happens with or without the internet. However, the internet has undoubtedly helped them, and others, reach levels of influence they probably wouldn’t have without it. So again, maybe in those cases, we’d be better off without it

You brought religion into this post. Nobody else.

The wonderful childhood being an Amish kid.

Then the wonderful, non-secretive Catholic Church.

Both of which were facilitating child abuse long before the internet.

I used the Amish as an example solely because they don’t rely on the internet or modern technology—NOT for any religious reasons. Let’s not twist this into a discussion about faith. The point is, they manage just fine without Wi-Fi or smartphones. It’s about the lifestyle, not their belief system. But sure, if it makes your argument easier, go ahead and ignore the actual point—that there are communities out there thriving without tech dependency :-) Thanks for playing....

Edited by ANDY00

Theta Aeterna said

I think Internet was and Is positive in terms of finding out religious secrets and dirt under the rugs. It also let’s people connect who need help with who can provide that needed help. That said, it can also help h. Trafficing. It’s a double edged sword.

my problem is how we, the older generation fail to prevent our kids from being mind trapped. I feel powerless sometimes.

When it comes to kids, it’s very difficult. My kids were young at the beginning of smartphones, and I made myself the enemy by restricting their use. I even had a rule that if they were off school sick, they couldn’t use game systems or smartphones at all, which they hated. But now, all of them are in great jobs, and none of them had a single day off school—not one.

I doubt that would be possible these days with the culture around internet and phones......

It's impossible with the peer pressure and envy between the kids. My son was bullied because he didn't play mine craft

Theta Aeterna said

It's impossible with the peer pressure and envy between the kids. My son was bullied because he didn't play mine craft

The internet and smartphone culture breed an 'always on' mentality, where people feel the need to be constantly involved, uploading, and active every waking hour—especially kids. The pressure to keep up can drive anxiety and depression, as they’re constantly exposed to comparisons, unrealistic expectations, and social media pressures. Bullying is also a huge part of this online culture, and adults aren’t immune either. 

ANDY00 said

Theta Aeterna said

It's impossible with the peer pressure and envy between the kids. My son was bullied because he didn't play mine craft

The internet and smartphone culture breed an 'always on' mentality, where people feel the need to be constantly involved, uploading, and active every waking hour—especially kids. The pressure to keep up can drive anxiety and depression, as they’re constantly exposed to comparisons, unrealistic expectations, and social media pressures. Bullying is also a huge part of this online culture, and adults aren’t immune either. 

Very unfortunate. Schools and teachers seem not to care either. No phone zones or times are not implemented. Cyber bullying is not punished or at least acknowledged.

I guess we are both better and worse off. One thing seems clear, though, the advent of instant global media coverage has not stopped war or famine. It has also not improved the quality of debate. I can use various platforms at the price of having my every move tracked. I recently tried to find a mobile phone with a proper on/off switch, and as far as I can tell they only exist on fantastically expensive ultra secure phones. Why? Presumably so people can't turn the phones off and interrupt the tracking.  The direction of travel is pretty unsettling because the rate of advancement is so rapid. We have been swamped by the technology before we've had a chance to develop resistance to its downside, and we are being pulled into a future over which only a tiny handful of people - and not elected politicians - will have control. 

Adolescents will never again experience finding a shopping bag full of bongo mags hidden in a bush.