I definitely think the milk carton kids in the late 80s and all the true crime shows in the 90s made people think the world is unsafe. I mean, it is, none of us are getting out alive. But if young people have some sense and a decent relationship with the adults around them, they are going to be fine. It’s been my experience that young people don’t take on more independence than they are ready for. When we were kids, we were prepared at a younger age for that independence- I can’t imagine putting a nine year old on a city bus and sending them to gymnastics in todays world- someone would call child protective services. But I already knew how to navigate the world at that point from walking home from school and biking to the grocery store.
The BM episode sounds like being bludgeoned by a very obvious point, which tends to not be fun. Like you said, some episodes are better. When they first started, it seemed like a “Twilight Zone” for today’s world. But the overemphasis on tech has ruined that for me.
Nailed it. If you've read some of Charlie Brooker's columns, the didactic Black Mirror episodes (which is, sadly, most of them) are even more tiresome as they recapitulate familiar points without the pith and humor of his essay writing.
You mention not monitoring your then 14-year old daughter’s social media and viewing habits. I wonder though, if like our children, she told you enough about her life that the idea of monitoring her was a non-issue. Maybe we just got lucky, but we never needed to wonder what our children were up to because they were comfortable telling us all about it.
well, I think the one is the cause of the other! if you police your kids, they won’t talk to you. if you make it clear you won’t punish them, htey will.
We can only get away with doing this to minors because they don't have the franchise or a more secure way for them to develop their own financial interests- both could be done save for the inertia of governments.
I definitely think the milk carton kids in the late 80s and all the true crime shows in the 90s made people think the world is unsafe. I mean, it is, none of us are getting out alive. But if young people have some sense and a decent relationship with the adults around them, they are going to be fine. It’s been my experience that young people don’t take on more independence than they are ready for. When we were kids, we were prepared at a younger age for that independence- I can’t imagine putting a nine year old on a city bus and sending them to gymnastics in todays world- someone would call child protective services. But I already knew how to navigate the world at that point from walking home from school and biking to the grocery store.
The BM episode sounds like being bludgeoned by a very obvious point, which tends to not be fun. Like you said, some episodes are better. When they first started, it seemed like a “Twilight Zone” for today’s world. But the overemphasis on tech has ruined that for me.
Nailed it. If you've read some of Charlie Brooker's columns, the didactic Black Mirror episodes (which is, sadly, most of them) are even more tiresome as they recapitulate familiar points without the pith and humor of his essay writing.
Yeah, I guess so. Still, even if it was sometimes/often disappointing, "Black Mirror" never bored me.
For that I was grateful.
You mention not monitoring your then 14-year old daughter’s social media and viewing habits. I wonder though, if like our children, she told you enough about her life that the idea of monitoring her was a non-issue. Maybe we just got lucky, but we never needed to wonder what our children were up to because they were comfortable telling us all about it.
well, I think the one is the cause of the other! if you police your kids, they won’t talk to you. if you make it clear you won’t punish them, htey will.
We can only get away with doing this to minors because they don't have the franchise or a more secure way for them to develop their own financial interests- both could be done save for the inertia of governments.