Covid killed whatever remnants there were. Also the death of third spaces, inflation, traffic, and rise of hipsters and zoomers in the 2010s/2020s just made being out in public unbearable annihilated anything cool about going out or socializing.
Melton1 Wanted for Pedophilia:
https://i.ibb.co/6cnPmJVr/IMG-0830.jpg
https://m.youtube.com/shorts/Zjxk307CND0

8 years later and it's definitely gone

Nope. I'm in coffee shops all the time and see groups of people using their mouths to communicate. Some are even having intellectual conversations about politics, science, entertainment, history, etc. Even those with devices are using the devices as tools for more verbal interaction.

have to agree with you there. was born in the 80s, grew up in the 90s and when we discovered msn we were delighted but we didn't spend our lives online or on the mobile or social media because it wasn't like today. its not rose tinted to remember a simpler time depending on how you weigh up the pros and cons

I don't remember it being greatjust easier. My childhood sucked so those rose tinted glasses you've mentioned have never existed in my world, lol. I look back on the 80s with nostalgia, sureBut I don't recall things being wonderful at all. The cold war scared the hell out me as a kid. But socially, there really was less pressure. Of course things were still awfulmy autistic brother was bullied and beaten by other kids almost weekly, so I know things have always been bad. But at least when we got home from school we could unplug. We didnt have devices and web pages and sites constantly beckoning and whispering negativity to us. So yesit was easier. Like I said before.

Things sucked when you were a kid too. You're just looking back with rose tinted glasses and nostalgia. That's all. And I'm not slighting you for that or anything. It's something every human does. I'm just saying it likely wasn't as great as you remember.

Ok, "Cursedchild13".

LOL you watch scientists and professors talk about kids using cell phones? What a load of crap.
Nope, people like you are just irritating.

I read it, I've seen it and I've watched lots of scientists and professors talk about this subject. It's fascinating to me. And I'm still in my 20's so I'm experiencing it too. And everyday there's talk about banning phones in schools around the world, because the kids don't socialize as much as before.
You seem a bit triggered by this. Is it because you fall into this category and have only online friends?

This message has been deleted.

And where do you get this information? I guarantee it's not real life. You're one of those idiots that sees tv shows and movies that have kids all on their phones and then see a handful of real kids doing it, so you assume every kid now is like that. It's pathetic. Especially since you admit you use social media all the time too. So congrats, you have the maturity of a kid that you're criticizing. What an accomplishment.

Nah, I'm pretty sure it's true. It's not directly quantum mechanics. It's common sense.

Or you're over thinking it and have no idea what you're talking about. One of the two.

This is interesting and I agree with you. I was born in the 80s, and my childhood was free of mobile phones and social networking. The teens of today must feel tremendous stress from social networking, because - as you say - they can't get away from it.

I don't mean this as a slight to the Millenials but it truly must suck to have grown up in this generation full of screens, internet overload and constant social networking. I can't imagine having to go home after a day at school and deal with all of the social pressures felt there AGAIN through computer or cell phone screens. My generation (Gen-X) never had to deal with that crap. We could get away from it. It really was better. I know younger people won't understand that because they haven't lived it but really, it was so much easier.
And people actually were way more social than they are today.We had to be in order to live everyday life.

Yep. I'm on social media too. I just think the question was interesting to discuss.

Says the guy posting on an internet message board?

Ah "kids these days are doing things all wrong and the old ways were better!" that every generation enjoys.
And no, most people don't socialize through social media. People still hang out face to face. People who personally socialize mostly through social media were the people not spending a lot of time with others anyway.

Consider the daffodil. And while you're doing that I'll be over here looking through your stuff.

There was a good programme about this, calling social media "anti social" and that people are more alone than ever. Alone with their phones, that is.

Not at all.
People still hang around and socialize even with phones and social media, it hasn't really changed anything, it's just given us an alternative way of socializing, that's all. You can have a group of people all sitting around and talking to each other, but at the same time they'll be socializing on their phones too.
I don't deny that there aren't people who "only" socialize through social media, but I think that it's really exaggerated. It's up there with saying that children don't play with toys or each other anymore (which is also blamed on technology), but in fact, they do.

Very true. I see more older couples on dates playing on their phones than I see younger couples doing that.

True story.

Don't just blame the younger people. I see over-40 people hunched over their phones constantly as well.