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Comment by maxaf | Hacker News Reader

Every person with half a brain already knows that smartphones and social media have destroyed at least one generation of Americans. There is a cohort of Gen Z that’s growing up without access to social media; these are the true future leaders of the world. These are the people who will command the income and power over the next 30-40 years.

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> smartphones and social media have destroyed at least one generation of Americans.

According to millennials it's the boomers.

According to the boomers it's the millennials.

Meanwhile Gen-X and the Silent generation are observing that everyone; even people who don't use social media directly are affected by the change in how truth is socially constructed.

While I think those that forgo social media while growing up are more likely to have better attention spans and ability to focus, I'd also guess they're just as likely to be significantly socially out of the loop.

This is a bold claim to make without citing anything.

There is nothing to be in the loop of, as far as social networks go. This is all low-value, low-effort information we’re talking about.

Perhaps for most posts individually. However, in aggregate, there is some value.

Not when considering the opportunity cost of gathering it.

Social networking is inherently a net negative due to how information propagates. It’s actively weeding out the useful bits.

"We sell at a loss but make it up in volume."

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