Declinism
I could connect to many cognitive biases that I find in my decision and opinion making. One that I could relate to strongly is declinism. I strongly hold the view that the childhood of our generation was far more idyllic, innocent and fun than childhoods of today. My reasons to support the claim was the explosive advent of technology for the current generation which has reduced their outdoor time etc.
On further thinking and looking for disconfirming evidence, I realized that every generation has had its own version of a key distractor. For my generation: It was the telelvision, for the generation 5- 10 years younger to me, it would be satellite television bringing “western culture” to our living rooms in the form of Channel V and MTV and for the generation after that, the Internet.
Similarly, generations older to me too would have their own monsters responsible for “ruining the childhood”
Ahaa!!!…how true…..again I can identify with this one and it confirms with my thinking so I easily gravitate towards it…everything happens in its own sweet time…everything my love;)…there is place and time for everything and the entire universe is moving according to its own rhythm…so what happened in the past and we feel it was wrong..maybe it was not..it was just the right thing to do at that time.
Yes, even I have the same bias and your post helped me to identify my own bias. Sometime, I used to think about the adverse effect of over exposure of internet and social media to this generation. After reading your post, I could also think of many dis-confirming evidences like in our generation we used to spend lot of time talking over landline phones with our friends. So, yes the monsters were always there and will be there but the values and the world view will keep the generation on track.
Yes, it happens when one remembers the early / younger years more favorably.
Agreeing with the post that today’s generation kids are most techno-savvy and don’t involve themselves in communicating or outdoor activity.
Once my neighbour told me that her 4-year-old son “only keeps himself busy with iPhone / gadgets, he knows all the features of it which even we don’t know” and therefore doesn’t go out to play.
Just as said above all the generations have some or the other distractions I read somewhere as a joke that “Thanks to god that we finished our studies before what’s app & facebook took over”.
This brings me back to my behavior a few days back!! I had classes whole day which was not so to boast about kind of day!! And, when I entered my cabin at the end of the day, I realized I am about to give up on what am I doing. The reason being the odd behavior of the students towards the teachers.. I really could not believe the way they were not interested in learning and they don’t care even if they miss out on what is being taught in the class. And, this is where I started blaming the parents for their bad parenting and I took a decision for myself stating I would never have a child of my own.. Sounds so stupid!! (I know..) And, the next day.. I might have given a thought to it.. Or just a nice sleep.. I was able to let go every pain and disappointment and was back on the track.. (However.. somewhere I still feel .. I was still better during my childhood..)
Even I too at times think that our childhood days was the best time and somewhere I feel we’re loosing that quality in every sphere of life. I feel blessed that as of now internet has not taken over my kids , not even the elder one. But somewhere worried what if it does sooner or later! But as I also believe in positivity ( you can call it a bias), so I believe the world is going to be a better place rather than worse!