Tech obsessions and cat identities

[nett]

I didn't realize photography was so dangerous for a teenager

Is this a serious or sarcastic response, I cannot tell.

Both. I never once thought of restricting the use of a camera from a child. Never heard it preached against or anything. That's why I'm a bit perplexed here.

I could write a wall of text about this, but I won't.

Photography is harmful for humanity in general, but it's especially destructive for youth girls. Most girls will obsess over every picture taken of them, comparing their looks to others, and finding innumerable flaws in their image, both real and imagined. They will start to optimize their appearance for photographs, and learn to take unrealistically flattering pictures of themselves. It will be these pictures that they post on whatsapp, or, if things are really going downhill, instagram, snapchat, and tik-tok. The psychological state of knowing that you are promoting a false image of yourself leads to low self-esteem, shame, and anxiety. Taken to an extreme, this will lead to self-harm.

With internet access, girls will turn to youtube and tik-tok to learn how to beautify themselves more expertly according to the cultural standards. The TOP make-up influencers on youtube are homosexual men and transexual women. Once the algorithm determines a user is interested in these things, it will start to show content that is increasingly subversive to having a healthy body-image.

The reach and allure that these influencers achieve is hard to understand. my 17 y/o nephew admitted to having no idea why, but regularly watching, James Charles videos, a makeup influencer who has now admitted to sexting with underage boys, sending and soliciting pornographic images from them. The only explanation i can come up with for why a straight, gender-normative boy would be attracted to watching James Charles is demonic influence.

My 14 y/o daughter recounted how just yesterday at school, the other girls were complaining about how fat they looked in the yearbook photos, how blemished their skin looked, and generally obsessing over what are supposed to be candid, fun photos. I happen to now that at least one of these girls is wearing makeup, despite it being against our church rules, and that her parents see no problem with it, as long as it's "not obvious".

This is a tiny piece of why photography is so harmful. There are numerous other things I could say about engagement with real life, memory distortion and deterioration, and break down of social interaction.

[joshuabgood]

Is this a serious or sarcastic response, I cannot tell.

Both. I never once thought of restricting the use of a camera from a child. Never heard it preached against or anything. That's why I'm a bit perplexed here.

I could write a wall of text about this, but I won't.

Photography is harmful for humanity in general, but it's especially destructive for youth girls. Most girls will obsess over every picture taken of them, comparing their looks to others, and finding innumerable flaws in their image, both real and imagined. They will start to optimize their appearance for photographs, and learn to take unrealistically flattering pictures of themselves. It will be these pictures that they post on whatsapp, or, if things are really going downhill, instagram, snapchat, and tik-tok. The psychological state of knowing that you are promoting a false image of yourself leads to low self-esteem, shame, and anxiety. Taken to an extreme, this will lead to self-harm.

With internet access, girls will turn to youtube and tik-tok to learn how to beautify themselves more expertly according to the cultural standards. The TOP make-up influencers on youtube are homosexual men and transexual women. Once the algorithm determines a user is interested in these things, it will start to show content that is increasingly subversive to having a healthy body-image.

The reach and allure that these influencers achieve is hard to understand. my 17 y/o nephew admitted to having no idea why, but regularly watching, James Charles videos, a makeup influencer who has now admitted to sexting with underage boys, sending and soliciting pornographic images from them. The only explanation i can come up with for why a straight, gender-normative boy would be attracted to watching James Charles is demonic influence.

My 14 y/o daughter recounted how just yesterday at school, the other girls were complaining about how fat they looked in the yearbook photos, how blemished their skin looked, and generally obsessing over what are supposed to be candid, fun photos. I happen to now that at least one of these girls is wearing makeup, despite it being against our church rules, and that her parents see no problem with it, as long as it's "not obvious".

This is a tiny piece of why photography is so harmful. There are numerous other things I could say about engagement with real life, memory distortion and deterioration, and break down of social interaction.

I find this analysis very compelling in many ways. But it still feels a bit strong perhaps to condemn cameras...

[steve-in-kville]

If the phone doesn't have internet access, the majority of the reasons mentioned are pointless now. See why I'm asking for clarification?

[nett]

If the phone doesn't have internet access, the majority of the reasons mentioned are pointless now. See why I'm asking for clarification?

My daughter's story from school was a paper yearbook, no internet access was needed, and texting selfies (or even more inappropriate things) is still very much a thing on flip phones.

There seems to be a principle issue with photography, but I wouldn't say I have it figured out yet.

[Ken]

If the phone doesn't have internet access, the majority of the reasons mentioned are pointless now. See why I'm asking for clarification?

Would you be surprised to learn that lots of kids who's parents choose not to give them cell phones (or can't afford them) just find cheap used cell phones or get hand-me-down old phones from friends and then use them on WiFi only? You can get older model smart phones for next to nothing these days.

As long as you are anywhere near a WiFi signal you don't actually need a cell signal or cell plan to fully use the phone. You can even use it for voice calls via internet apps. That is partly why 3rd party texting apps like WhatsApp are popular. You don't need cellular service to use them.

I expect there are even plenty of Amish kids who have old cell phones and use them anytime they are near a WiFi signal.

[nett]

Both. I never once thought of restricting the use of a camera from a child. Never heard it preached against or anything. That's why I'm a bit perplexed here.

I could write a wall of text about this, but I won't.

Photography is harmful for humanity in general, but it's especially destructive for youth girls. Most girls will obsess over every picture taken of them, comparing their looks to others, and finding innumerable flaws in their image, both real and imagined. They will start to optimize their appearance for photographs, and learn to take unrealistically flattering pictures of themselves. It will be these pictures that they post on whatsapp, or, if things are really going downhill, instagram, snapchat, and tik-tok. The psychological state of knowing that you are promoting a false image of yourself leads to low self-esteem, shame, and anxiety. Taken to an extreme, this will lead to self-harm.

With internet access, girls will turn to youtube and tik-tok to learn how to beautify themselves more expertly according to the cultural standards. The TOP make-up influencers on youtube are homosexual men and transexual women. Once the algorithm determines a user is interested in these things, it will start to show content that is increasingly subversive to having a healthy body-image.

The reach and allure that these influencers achieve is hard to understand. my 17 y/o nephew admitted to having no idea why, but regularly watching, James Charles videos, a makeup influencer who has now admitted to sexting with underage boys, sending and soliciting pornographic images from them. The only explanation i can come up with for why a straight, gender-normative boy would be attracted to watching James Charles is demonic influence.

My 14 y/o daughter recounted how just yesterday at school, the other girls were complaining about how fat they looked in the yearbook photos, how blemished their skin looked, and generally obsessing over what are supposed to be candid, fun photos. I happen to now that at least one of these girls is wearing makeup, despite it being against our church rules, and that her parents see no problem with it, as long as it's "not obvious".

This is a tiny piece of why photography is so harmful. There are numerous other things I could say about engagement with real life, memory distortion and deterioration, and break down of social interaction.

I find this analysis very compelling in many ways. But it still feels a bit strong perhaps to condemn cameras...

I wasn't condemn the object of the camera necessarily. I would not go the extent of saying that a Christian should never use a camera. I just think they are dangerous from a spiritual, sociological, and personal perspective. I think it is a strong witness for Christian youth to choose not to use them.

[steve-in-kville]

If the phone doesn't have internet access, the majority of the reasons mentioned are pointless now. See why I'm asking for clarification?

My daughter's story from school was a paper yearbook, no internet access was needed, and texting selfies (or even more inappropriate things) is still very much a thing on flip phones.

There seems to be a principle issue with photography, but I wouldn't say I have it figured out yet.

I just found out this morning that its a "thing" for high school girls to dress up and act like a cat. And the schools can't do anything about it... yet. Apparently last school term it really gained traction in some high schools.

[nett]

If the phone doesn't have internet access, the majority of the reasons mentioned are pointless now. See why I'm asking for clarification?

Would you be surprised to learn that lots of kids who's parents choose not to give them cell phones (or can't afford them) just find cheap used cell phones or get hand-me-down old phones from friends and then use them on WiFi only?

As long as you are anywhere near a WiFi signal you don't actually need a cell signal or cell plan to fully use the phone. You can even use it for voice calls via internet apps.

I expect there are even plenty of Amish kids who have old cell phones and use them anytime they are near a WiFi signal.

We used to call these menno-phones, because most of the mennonite youth in our town had old android "phablets" with no cellular service, and yes they were quite interested in any place that had unrestricted wifi service.

[steve-in-kville]

I expect there are even plenty of Amish kids who have old cell phones and use them anytime they are near a WiFi signal.

Just swing by the local library or McDonalds. Certain times of the day that's about all you see there.

[Ken]

If the phone doesn't have internet access, the majority of the reasons mentioned are pointless now. See why I'm asking for clarification?

Would you be surprised to learn that lots of kids who's parents choose not to give them cell phones (or can't afford them) just find cheap used cell phones or get hand-me-down old phones from friends and then use them on WiFi only?

As long as you are anywhere near a WiFi signal you don't actually need a cell signal or cell plan to fully use the phone. You can even use it for voice calls via internet apps.

I expect there are even plenty of Amish kids who have old cell phones and use them anytime they are near a WiFi signal.

We used to call these menno-phones, because most of the mennonite youth in our town had old android "phablets" with no cellular service, and yes they were quite interested in any place that had unrestricted wifi service.

Kids these days also do things like use obscure gaming aps like Discord (obscure to adults anyway) https://discord.com/safety/360044149331-What-is-Discord for their personal and private text messaging if they have parents who check their phones and screen their text messages. They will always be a step ahead. And if they want to secretly text their boyfriend without you knowing it they can use hidden aps on the phone that you don't even know exist while keeping their actual text message screen pure as the driven snow.

Ultimately you have to learn to trust your kids and teach them to be trustworthy. That has always been the case both pre-internet and today.