"The Lost Generation" Came Back, This Time Literally
As part of "GenY", I am delighted to see "WU-TANG CLAN" coming here next week, but not because their rap was quality music but because they peaked when the world went up, the economy always went up, and Computer Science* was the domain of endless growth (until 1999). We almost always listen to 90s music. It brings back memories and other people of our generation can typically relate. Things went downhill at the turn of the new millennium and accelerated further (downwards) 7 years later. A lot of the world's economies sustained virtual growth through borrowings (debt) and little else.
Based on my limited experience with young people ("alphas"), they're lost. Totally lost. No offence meant, but I worry for them not just because there are low prospects for them as "entrants" (we occasionally see reports of boats hitting bridges as they're manned by skinnerbox addicts - the equivalent of being stoned on the job) but because they lack observable potential. They seem to be good at clicking or scrolling or swiping or pinching things. Their social skills or expression (social interaction) is imperiled as they lack tact, patience, and would rather click things than face the "stress" of - gasp - speaking to another human being! This is not a clinical issue or "something in the water". This is how kids are brought up, not by their parents but by skinnerboxes and other 'paraphernalia'. The parents neglect their kids and entrust gadgets to 'babysit' the kids.
As a parent of a young child (what some would call "late parenting"), Andy recently explained how he protects his daughter from this negative influence, which he partly blames on "modern" tech. This was also covered in some podcast episodes.█
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* This discipline has since then distanced itself from the "Science" and instead of "CS" we get diploma mills for scams like "AI".