Like cigarettes, I hope we look back...
If you enjoy this or it resonates with you, consider supporting me as an independent writer by sharing it and becoming a paid subscriber for just $6/mo, Thank you.
The UK passed a bill in 2002 that banned tobacco products being advertised. I remember there always being an advert for cigarettes on the way to my grandparents home. We’d pass it every Sunday.
The UK went further in 2007 by banning smoking in enclosed public places. I can still remember the nasty feeling in my throat after leaving a crowded and smoke filled pub in Bristol. I think I was there to watch a friend perform.
On our way to Missouri, we stopped at a rest station in Kentucky and was surprised to see ash trays inside the restaurant. Turns out that smoking inside is still okay in Kentucky. This was crazy to me.
In 1997, to show that Democrats and Republicans are equally good, Bill Clinton signed an executive order banning smoking inside federal buildings. America arrived much sooner at banning tobacco advertising than the UK. In 1970 Richard Nixon signed legislation banning it.
Gone are the days of doctors advertising tobacco, and any notion of the health benefits. Sure plenty of people still smoke, but I haven’t met anyone who claims it to be healthy or good for the body in any way.
We now look back and ask ourselves, “What were we thinking?”
In a similar way, I think, and hope we will come to the same realization that smart phones and especially social media are harmful to our mental wellness, particularly to our children.
In the US the legal drinking age is 21, but Facebook only requires you to be 13… The reason I highlight this disparity is because there is increasing evidence that shows how harmful social media is to a young, impressionable and developing mind.
Parents who wouldn’t dream of handing their child a beer will give their teen and even tween unfettered access to a smart phone and social media. Smart phones actually seem to be retarding growth in young people.
Young people are increasingly shy, socially awkward, lonely, depressed, anxious, suicidal, mentally unwell, and transgender. And so much of it has to do with their being fed a steady stream of nonsense, propaganda, polarizing commentary, and harmful messaging.
People sometimes ask me when I will give my child a phone, my answer is when they can afford to buy one for themselves. And if that day comes before they are a legal adult, they will not have access to social media. I love my children too much to expose them to the cesspool that is social media.
Not only is it a pernicious waste of time, it can derail a life full of beauty and potential. I don’t judge or condemn parents who have caved in to the pressure of children or culture. But can we at least be honest, your child didn’t become a better person after you gave them the phone!
One day I hope we look back and say “What were we thinking?” Let’s stop destroying the beautiful lives of our children by handing them a ‘Smart’ phone.
Book Club
Do you like to read and discuss non-fiction, or is it a goal of yours to read more? If so, participate in my monthly book club! It’s all online so you can participate in the weekly discussions anywhere in the world. You can view the reading list and schedules for free, but to participate in the weekly discussion threads, you’ll need to become a paid subscriber for just $6/mo… I look forward to hearing your insights!
Participate in the discussion today!