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A comment on Social media is a cause, not a correlate, of mental illness in teen girls. Parent comment

Re:Social media is a cause, not a correlate, of mental illne... by nerdponx on Wednesday February 22, 2023 @03:42PM (#34902384)
This article is the classic "millennials are sad because they have unrealistically high expectations" drivel that I thought we had buried for good. Even for 2013 it seems pretty trashy. Lucy doesn't think she's unusually wonderful, and to assume so is completely unfair to Lucy. Lucy was told over and over and over that all she needed to do was go to college and work hard at anything somewhat respectable, and financial stability and personal comfort would follow. She only ever wanted a decent liberal arts education, and after that a decent career. You know who fed her that BS? Her delusional parents.

Yes, it's easy to get unrealistic expectations from social media. But that's not the point of the article, for anyone tempted to click and read.

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Re:Social media is a cause, not a correlate, of mental illne... by try_the_bass on Wednesday February 22, 2023 @04:37PM (#34903234)
> You know who fed her that BS? Her delusional parents.

I thought the Wait but Why article made a point of calling that out. It didn't come across as blaming Lucy for her delusions, saying "she has _been told_ all her life that 'she's special'".

"Been told" seems to put the blame for that squarely on those doing the telling.

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Re:Social media is a cause, not a correlate, of mental illne... by shagie on Wednesday February 22, 2023 @04:21PM (#34902967)
The high expectation drivel fed by parents is something that in that context is something that the millennials needed to overcome. That, however, is only part of the story.

Setting aside the expectations of "you are special and can be anything you want to be" from parents there is also the "the world around you is crafted to a degree that previous generations didn't deal with."

Recognizing that part of it is also important. If you compare yourself to influencers and expect to be able to live a life like them, you will likely be unhappy. Correspondingly, if you compare yourself to the crafted image of your peers all the time, you may feel that you're not doing as well as they are.

That part isn't a millennial issue but rather a "everyone who uses social media to compare or boast about their current social situations."

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Re:Social media is a cause, not a correlate, of mental illne... by gtvwill on Wednesday February 22, 2023 @04:22PM (#34902983)
You don't have any kids yet do you? If you do, what dreams do you fill their heads with if not that of a happy life?
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Re:Social media is a cause, not a correlate, of mental illne... by bobthepanda on Wednesday February 22, 2023 @04:32PM (#34903158)
The flip side of that, is that there are a fair amount of parents, who get incredulous if their child doesn't have the dream social standard that they themselves found it easy to achieve. How many people in their mid-20s today are homeowners without student debts?
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Re:Social media is a cause, not a correlate, of mental illne... by P_I_Staker on Wednesday February 22, 2023 @06:54PM (#34904891)
It's tough to tell, but it looks like you're partially blaming choice of career in humanities.

While this may be true for some people, it's not all roses in tech. I know this may not be your intended thesis, but I think it's worth pointing out some things that many people in high paying careers find out (not just tech, lawyers, business pros, ect.)... just to add to your point:

1. You're not going to have ANY time to relax, if you're trying to really get ahead, and take care of chores, let alone hobbies (which can even feel like chores if you like relax time)

2. Even if you don't care about advancing your career, or making money, there's a good chance you will feel like there's no other option... it's up or out

3. You may not find a partner, or at least a good supportive one, which makes some of these things easier (helping around the house, providing an anchor for an uncertain career)

4. Even if you find a good partner, things can change. It can make things even worse, due to heartbreak, or the pressures of living with someone you don't get along with; or you can lose your kids and/or be stuck with a big bill for your hardship.

5. There's a good chance you will grow apart from your friends. There's a lot of reasons for this, work, family, etc. It can be hard to find time in the best of cases

6. There's a pretty good chance you spend all of your money, or else you won't have the lifestyle you're expecting.

7. Health problems. They can start pretty early in adulthood, make it hard to feel comfortable, and end relationships / careers.

Just to add to your point: Even with "the career" things can wind up being pretty bleak. I have a lot going for me, but I don't live that crazy a lifestyle, own a house, etc. I suffer from some of these problems in varying degrees.

While some of the above is unavoidable, and has always been (eg. health). Other things seem fairly new. Like people with high paying jobs not owning houses, or having to choose between that, travel, etc.

Social networks are at an all time low point. Not for everyone, but it's been a growing trend.

I don't think that owning a house, occasionally traveling, with a supportive partner, while spending time with your friends, and having a few hobbies is "unreasonably high" for someone in a high paying career.

I'm not saying these things are unattainable, and it is asking quite a lot. However even if you play your cards well in life, you can easily end up falling very, very short.

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