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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe Atlantic: "Why Americans Suddenly Stopped Hanging Out"
A profound and troubling piece
I'm left wondering about the next stage of these trends
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I dont think hanging out more will solve every problem. But I do think every social crisis in the U.S. could be helped somewhat if people spent a little more time with other people and a little less time gazing into digital content thats designed to make us anxious and despondent about the world. This young century, Americans have collectively submitted to a national experiment to deprive ourselves of camaraderie in the world of flesh and steel, choosing instead to grow (and grow and grow) the time we spend by ourselves, gazing into screens, wherein actors and influencers often engage in the very acts of physical proximity that we deny ourselves. Its been a weird experiment. And the results havent been pretty.
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The hang-out depression is particularly bad for teenagers. According to the ATUS, teens and young adults saw by far the largest dip in socializing, especially since 2010. In fact, it is genuinely difficult to find any category of play that isnt experiencing some kind of Mayday! Mayday! descent among this group. Teens are dating less, playing fewer youth sports, spending less time with their friends, and making fewer friends to begin with. In the late 1970s, more than half of 12th graders got together with their buddies almost every day. By 2017, only 28 percent did. Theres very clearly been a striking decline in in-person socializing among teens and young adults, whether its going to parties, driving around in cars, going to the mall, or just about anything that has to do with getting together in person, says Jean Twenge, a psychology professor at San Diego State University.
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One can imagine a similar framework to explain the deterioration of Americas social fitness. We come into this world craving the presence of others. But a few modern trendsa sprawling built environment, the decline of church, social mobility that moves people away from friends and familyspread us out as adults in a way that invites disconnection. Meanwhile, as an evolutionary hangover from a more dangerous world, we are exquisitely engineered to pay attention to spectacle and catastrophe. But screens have replaced a chunk of our physical-world experience with a digital simulacrum that has enough spectacle and catastrophe to capture hours of our greedy attention. These devices so absorb us that its very difficult to engage with them and be present with other people.
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2024/02/america-decline-hanging-out/677451/
No paywall link: http://archive.today/nhPrW
AllaN01Bear
(18,376 posts)as they desiered human contact.
Attilatheblond
(2,200 posts)When I have energy and mobility enough to go shopping, I find I make a note of store employee's name tags and call them by name. Finding that little thing almost always results in them smiling, looking up as they scan my groceries, usually saying things, little short conversations. It leaves me feeling better and am pretty sure it helps a lot of them get thru their day. Sometimes I walk a little away and turn to watch the clerk and other patrons. They all seem a bit more inclined to smile, and exchange little niceties or quips. They seem to remember they are humans, not machines. Makes my old heart feel better.
Ripples matter. And we are becoming a very isolated people. Make ripples, maybe a wave now and then. Connection does actually feel better, even those little temporary, superficial ones can be good practice.
The old guy who wrangles the shopping carts where I get groceries is ALWAYS genuinely cheerful and sometimes knows people by name. Ripples matter. Maybe a customer who was in a bad mood might have that lifted a little by some simple pleasantries. Maybe that would make him/her a little less aggressive on the drive home. Maybe that might help them avert an accident and allow someone else to make it home safely. Maybe a little human interaction is the vitamin we need most?
Ripples matter, and it's place to start.
shrike3
(3,761 posts)The easiest thing would be to veg at home on weekends. But the emotional pay-off of being with people who think you're okay the way you are is worth the effort.
Aristus
(66,452 posts)are out there.
I also really don't like having to listen to people spew patently stupid shit, and just have to go "Oh yeah; um-hm", like it's okay. If I point out the sheer stupidity of what they're saying, I'm the asshole.
And of course, since Trump gave the below-average half of the country permission to be their worst selves in public, there's just nothing about public social occasions that beats relaxing at home in my pajamas and bathrobe, nice and quiet, and reading a good book, or watching some compelling television.
Johnny2X2X
(19,114 posts)I agree with a lot of the posts so far on technology. But one aspect I've thought about is how our unique wants and tastes are catered to online in ways that weren't at all possible a couple decades ago. Even with music, to share musical tastes with someone is more difficult because even if they like your same basic genre, there are now 50 sub genres of which you might only really be into 1 or 2.
It's that way with electronic music for me. It wasn't long ago that if there was an electronic music event in town, everyone that was into electronic music was going. Didn't matter if you were into House or Trance, or Breakbeats, if a big name was in town who played DnB, you were probably going to check it out. Now is some global progressive House name were in my town, I wouldn't dream of going and seeing it. But if some niche Acid Techno producer from Minnesota was here at a small bar, I am there.
So we get more and more siloed. Cooking interests become specialized and specific. Dog interests, sports interests, book interests, arts and crafts, fashion etc etc. Right on down the line. So the number of people you share interests with gets smaller and smaller. I don't know how the hell people even date anymore.