Kerby Anderson

Columnist Robert Knight usually writes commentaries on political issues but took two columns to address the growing concerns about cellphone use. He began by reminding us of some of the benefits. “Remember what it was like trying to connect with someone arriving at an airport? Or losing written directions on the way to a destination?”

Once he dispensed with that brief acknowledgement of its benefits, he then proceeded to remind us of the many concerns surfacing about cellphones. He observes that the “social effects of ubiquitous cellphones are obvious.” Kids are always looking at their phones, whether they are waiting for the bus or sitting at a table with others.

In previous commentaries, I have quoted social psychologist Jonathan Haidt about his research on the impact of social media on young people. Recently he posed this question to ChatGPT: “If you were the devil, how would you destroy the next generation, without them even knowing it?” The answer he received was: “I’d keep them busy. Always distracted” and “I’d watch their minds rot slowly, sweetly, silently. And the best part is, they’d never know it was me. They’d call it freedom.”

Robert Knight reminds us that Jonathan Haidt has developed what he calls “four norms” that can help deal with the negative concerns about cellphones. He recommends: “no smartphones before high school, no social media before 16, phone-free schools from kindergarten through 12th grade, and more independence, free play and responsibility in the real world.”

Responsible parents should limit screen time for their children. But that assumes they can limit their own time. They should be working to develop character and self-discipline in themselves and their children.