> When they go to sleep at night, they have to choose between all of the information ever published in the history of the world, or the back of their eyelids

They are not tired enough if they choose to use their smartphone, that's an education issue.

Children are taught the value of a good night of sleep, they are taught by having fulfilling daily lives and exhausting. If you let them be like a plant, yeah they will be just as dumb as a plant.