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Re:Ask HN: How can we solve the loneliness epidemic? by HPsquared on Thursday January 15, 2026 @03:11PM (#46638493)
It's like China during the opium epidemic.

Maybe we'll see Europe try and ban social media, leading to a kind of "Opium War" to keep it going on the pretext of "freedom" and so on.

Re:Ask HN: How can we solve the loneliness epidemic? by tekne on Thursday January 15, 2026 @03:38PM (#46638931)
My friend, don't scare quote freedom.

Sure, it may not have infinite value, but there are plenty of far less valuable things we endure significant harm to be able to enjoy.

And I say this as someone who absolutely hates social media.

Re:Ask HN: How can we solve the loneliness epidemic? by HPsquared on Thursday January 15, 2026 @03:50PM (#46639114)
Usually countries don't go to war over actual principles such as these but for self-interest. That's what I was getting at. Scare quotes indicate the position of the concept within public-facing rhetoric for an Opium War style operation (which would presumably be about profit, control and so on, the usual).