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[–]ClassroomPast6178 8 insightful - 1 fun8 insightful - 0 fun9 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

We need to start acknowledging that mental illness and personality disorders can be spread through social contagion.

We already are seeing that being spotted, the sudden rise in Tourette’s symptoms in teenage girls has been noted (spread by Twitch and TikTok during lockdown) and is far less able to be wokesplained away like the rise in gender issues has been.

At the schools I’ve taught at I’ve taught online safety and the kids all get a good grounding in the risks and dangers online….and then the parents get involved. It really is down to the parents, but unfortunately too often they have little understanding and quite often little desire to remove their kid’s digital babysitter.

I have a theory that the reason that social contagion seems to be a verboten topic is that it disproportionately affects teenage girls, and people think pointing out a psychological difference between the genders is akin to saying one is superior (it’s not, boys just have different problems). I have a friend who point blank refuses to agree that men are, on average, stronger than women and it is biological not social. He just cannot do it because it would cause his underlying beliefs about men and women to crumble. He’s thoroughly rational, except with regards to biological differences between the sexes, it’s the weirdest fucking thing.

[–]Femaleisnthateful 5 insightful - 1 fun5 insightful - 0 fun6 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

It really is down to the parents, but unfortunately too often they have little understanding and quite often little desire to remove their kid’s digital babysitter.

I watched a news segment recently featuring parents whose prepubescent child died doing some stupid TikTok challenge. The parents were aware that their kid was accepting 'challenges' from strangers online but thought it was benign. Like, why? Why would you not think there were predators on these forums. I think part of the problem is that adults have become internet addicts themselves and don't want to acknowledge a problem.

[–]OuroborosTheory 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

or the minor sending "progress pictures" of their transition to Keffals and then realizing the full implication later

[–]Femaleisnthateful 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Yeah, there's a lot to unpack with regards to social media. Kids are conditioned to idolize 'influencers' and create brands for themselves online. I remember the early days of Facebook when friends would compete over how many 'friends' they had. I learned quickly that those people were superficial losers and to stay away. It seems epidemic now.

[–]ClassroomPast6178 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

The formation of parasocial relationships due to social media (YouTube, Twitch and TikTok in particular) has, without a doubt in my mind, a massive role in all of this.