Comment by locallost
2 months ago
I am somewhat sympathetic of this view because it appears to be rational. But I've heard something similar when the internet was becoming more and more mainstream 25 years ago. A similar rational opinion was that online communities help people connect and reduce loneliness. But if we look at it objectively the outcome was poor in that regard. So buyer beware.
Of course, I don't think anything should be banned. But the influence on society should not be hand waved as automatically positive because it will solve SOME problems.
I fully agree with you. I do think my argument came across as more hand wavy than I intended, I definitely did a “what about” and wish I hadn’t.
What I’m really after is thoughtful discourse, that acknowledges we accept risk in our society if there is an upside.
To your point about the internet making people more lonely, I’d say on balance that’s probably true, but it’s also nuanced. I know my mom personally benefits from staying in touch with her friends from her home country.
I think one of the most difficult things to predict is how human behavior adapts to novel stimulus. We will never have enough information. But I do think we adapt, learn, and become more resilient. That is the core of my optimism.