"we used to"
No the fuck we didn't. Humans have always been dumb, shortsighted, and curious. The internet just makes it really easy to see the ones that fuck up enough to be entertaining.
Yeah. You're right that we've always been dumb and stupid and would do stupid shit to impress our peer group
But I firmly believe social media has inflated the definition of "peer group" to include "internet followers", which jacks the whole stupidity up to 11.
For example, you're a nineties kid walking through the mall with your friends in your JNKO jeans and your slap-it watch. One of your friends decides he's going to be an idiot by balancing on the railing of the second floor and you all have a good laugh.
Edit:
If his friends hadn't been there, would he have done it? I doubt it. But now his "friends" don't have to be there, because they're just random followers to give him social media points.
That's sort of what I meant. Its not the we didn't do dumb shit as kids, its that social media credit has motivated people to do dumb shit when they normally wouldn't.
Edit: also, WE grew out of it. Nowadays they are socially and financially incentivized to NOT grow out of that phase.
Yeah.
No one ever gave me AdSense dollars for nearly busting my fucking head.
Truth. As an 80s kid / 90s teen, I feel pretty lucky to be alive. I'm grateful for the few times in my life when common sense kicked in, and I said no.
Same. Was thirteen in 89. Graduated in 94. Hit Y2K at 23. Basically peak Clerks/Dazed and Confused generation.
To make matters worse I grew up in a small town where there was nothing better to do THAN do stupid shit with friends.
"we used to" No the fuck we didn't. Humans have always been dumb, shortsighted, and curious. The internet just makes it really easy to see the ones that fuck up enough to be entertaining.
Yeah. You're right that we've always been dumb and stupid and would do stupid shit to impress our peer group
But I firmly believe social media has inflated the definition of "peer group" to include "internet followers", which jacks the whole stupidity up to 11.
For example, you're a nineties kid walking through the mall with your friends in your JNKO jeans and your slap-it watch. One of your friends decides he's going to be an idiot by balancing on the railing of the second floor and you all have a good laugh. Edit: If his friends hadn't been there, would he have done it? I doubt it. But now his "friends" don't have to be there, because they're just random followers to give him social media points.
That's sort of what I meant. Its not the we didn't do dumb shit as kids, its that social media credit has motivated people to do dumb shit when they normally wouldn't.
Edit: also, WE grew out of it. Nowadays they are socially and financially incentivized to NOT grow out of that phase.
Yeah. No one ever gave me AdSense dollars for nearly busting my fucking head.
Truth. As an 80s kid / 90s teen, I feel pretty lucky to be alive. I'm grateful for the few times in my life when common sense kicked in, and I said no.
Same. Was thirteen in 89. Graduated in 94. Hit Y2K at 23. Basically peak Clerks/Dazed and Confused generation.
To make matters worse I grew up in a small town where there was nothing better to do THAN do stupid shit with friends.
Natural selection will find a place to strike.