Dean Burnett (that brains guy)Jan 4, 2025

What Smartphones are doing to kids' mental health is NOT terrifying (no matter what a child psychiatrist says)

https://theneuroscienceofeverydaylife.substack.com/p/what-smartphones-are-doing-to-kids

My response to the Guardian's latest 'Phones are destroying the children!!' article. As ever, it's... problematic

#Phones #screens #brains #wellbeing #kids #mentalhealth #BadScience #Misinformation

What Smartphones are doing to kids' mental health is NOT terrifying (no matter what a child psychiatrist says)

The Guardian has done another shoddy article about why smartphones are definitely bad. But what's really 'terrifying' is how many apparent experts are so keen to join in with them.

The Neuroscience of Everyday Life
Show threadCondalmo.Jan 4, 2025
@Garwboy You're wrong. But enjoy the clicks, I suppose?
Show threadDean Burnett (that brains guy)
@condalmo cast iron watertight argument there. Have a gold star
Jan 4, 2025 at 1:38pmWeb
Show threadCondalmo.Jan 4, 2025

@Garwboy Right? But you don't actually want an argument, do you? People who post these sort of rebuttal-articles very rarely do. They almost always are just looking to have their opinions validated, and they close off mentally if it's refuted. Toss a couple of brusque, sarcastic pseudo-counterarguments out, then start leveling insults, then disengage. It's counterindicated for your brand/book sales/etc. to actually want to engage and risk looking silly.

I do like a gold star, though

Show threadDean Burnett (that brains guy)Jan 4, 2025

@condalmo my own post took me two+ hours and is 2,500 words long, and explored all the relevant unscientific claims in a major mainstream article. I appreciate and invite evidence-based counterpoints, said as much in it, and have always done so.

Your response was a one line dismissal, containing nothing but snide unfounded condescension toward a total stranger. Your gold star is earned for staggering hypocrisy. Enjoy it.

Show threadCondalmo.Jan 4, 2025

@Garwboy Come on, man. I could take four+ hours and write a 5,000 word article about how my opinion is that the moon is made of cheese. Would that length make me right? If it's my opinion, can an opinion be wrong, even if it's asinine?

You've written an opinion piece, and your primary opinion, based on the headline, is that her stance is wrong - but then your article is based on the opinion that she's written a bad article. Okay? That doesn't make her wrong, it means you don't like it.

Show threadCondalmo.Jan 4, 2025
@Garwboy You want to write an article criticizing the mainstream media? Sure, go for it. But it's duplicitous to couch it as a rebuttal of her points, just because it's written as an exploration of an idea for the general public, and not a rigorously "evidence-based" (don't get me started) article in a scientific journal.
Show threadCondalmo.Jan 4, 2025

@Garwboy Your rebuttals of her "points" are just as anecdotal as her data is, which, fine? But if you're criticizing the article based on that, you're equally guilty.

You're right, there's references anybody could track down that refute or support her hypothesis. Same is true for the effect of sugar on children. In fact, there's strong research disproving the "they misbehave bc of a sugar high" concept.

Show threadCondalmo.Jan 4, 2025

@Garwboy ... And: parents don't GAF about that. Because when they give their kids too much sugar, what happens?

Are there other factors? Sure. There are other behavioral factors in how adults act when they've had too much to drink. Could make an argument there that "what drinking does to adults' mental health is NOT terrifying." Right? And yet.

Show threadCondalmo.Jan 4, 2025
@Garwboy Also: I apologize for my starting off with snark. I'm accustomed to good-faith engagement in these sort of interactions usually leading to the realization that the other person doesn't want to have a conversation. I'm not helping to NOT have that happen if I'm being snarky.