I grew up in a rural area, running wild for most of my childhood. I'm mid-fifties now.
I instinctively disagree with you regarding smartphones simply because I have seen what mine has done to me. To paraphrase Jim Carrey from from The Mask, it put my brain in a blender and hit frappé.
I know that's not very scientific, but it's all I've got.
I suppose I would say it's 'both/and' not 'either/or'. You and Haidt are both correct in my opinion.
Regardless, I really appreciate free-thinkers like you challenging my beliefs with such thought-provoking articles as this. I admire that you're so willing to swim against the tide.
I'm a member of a some pressure groups wanting to ban phones from schools and reduce usage amongst kids. I will share your articles on this matter, because you add a lot to the debate and it's good to have our assumptions challenged.
I'm convinced by the wilding thesis, but it's hard to see how much will change, at least in the UK. You'd need a government willing to invest in green spaces, discourage car use and tackle urban crime – and these are actually the easiest problems.
Not condemning children who are not suited to academics requires a complete shift in our attitude to economics. And all the decision makers are people who benefited from the current system.
As you say, this *can* be fixed because the Netherlands did it. I used to roam wild in a city, Manchester, during the 1950s, my daughter less in London in the 1970s but she has very consciously ensured her children roam at least as much as she did.
The interesting thing is that by, again, very consciously not helicoptering her children in their school studies, both her children need no nagging about homework and no one notices - or cares - that they are doing it.
We are blessed that our Victorian ancestors provided park - the endless new buildings in London are being thrown up without parks.
Thank you Tam. Thats fascinating what you say about the differences between the three generations. Agree about parks, they make much a huge differences, esp in urban concretopias.
Hi Pete,
I grew up in a rural area, running wild for most of my childhood. I'm mid-fifties now.
I instinctively disagree with you regarding smartphones simply because I have seen what mine has done to me. To paraphrase Jim Carrey from from The Mask, it put my brain in a blender and hit frappé.
I know that's not very scientific, but it's all I've got.
I suppose I would say it's 'both/and' not 'either/or'. You and Haidt are both correct in my opinion.
Regardless, I really appreciate free-thinkers like you challenging my beliefs with such thought-provoking articles as this. I admire that you're so willing to swim against the tide.
I'm a member of a some pressure groups wanting to ban phones from schools and reduce usage amongst kids. I will share your articles on this matter, because you add a lot to the debate and it's good to have our assumptions challenged.
Thanks for your effort putting this together.
Thanks for reading Max
I'm convinced by the wilding thesis, but it's hard to see how much will change, at least in the UK. You'd need a government willing to invest in green spaces, discourage car use and tackle urban crime – and these are actually the easiest problems.
Not condemning children who are not suited to academics requires a complete shift in our attitude to economics. And all the decision makers are people who benefited from the current system.
Its going to be difficult, I agree. Thanks for reading and sharing.
Beautifully written, Pete. Fascinating stuff.
As you say, this *can* be fixed because the Netherlands did it. I used to roam wild in a city, Manchester, during the 1950s, my daughter less in London in the 1970s but she has very consciously ensured her children roam at least as much as she did.
The interesting thing is that by, again, very consciously not helicoptering her children in their school studies, both her children need no nagging about homework and no one notices - or cares - that they are doing it.
We are blessed that our Victorian ancestors provided park - the endless new buildings in London are being thrown up without parks.
Thank you Tam. Thats fascinating what you say about the differences between the three generations. Agree about parks, they make much a huge differences, esp in urban concretopias.