No kidding. It's really gone to places where it shouldn't. Both metaphorically and literally. And I'm fully guilty of this myself--bringing it into parts of my life where it shouldn't. I have a no phone out rule at the dinner table. Doom-scrolling gets us nowhere.
I think it depends a lot on cultural context and degree of family and community surroundings. I don’t think the nuclear family idea is particularly natural or makes it very easy on either parents or children, but that’s what so many of us largely grew up with.
Right you are on that point, Nick. The sole charge of the nuclear family isn't something too common even just a generation ago and definitely in most parts of the world where community-based rearing is the norm.
“My door … is both for opening. And closing.”
Wow - what a powerful ending.
Thanks, E.T.
Thalia, thank you for your wisdom over this. I tend to say it's a good task nad bad task-mater: you've said it so much more beautifully.
Thanks, Peter. The simplicity of the way you said it has its own beauty itself. :)
Fully agree. Time to put the internet into its little cubby corner on an indefinite time out..on our own terms.
No kidding. It's really gone to places where it shouldn't. Both metaphorically and literally. And I'm fully guilty of this myself--bringing it into parts of my life where it shouldn't. I have a no phone out rule at the dinner table. Doom-scrolling gets us nowhere.
Related,
https://www.theintrinsicperspective.com/p/here-lies-the-internet-murdered-by
Seems really challenging to have kids these days!
Don’t know if it’s ever *not* challenging.
I think it depends a lot on cultural context and degree of family and community surroundings. I don’t think the nuclear family idea is particularly natural or makes it very easy on either parents or children, but that’s what so many of us largely grew up with.
Right you are on that point, Nick. The sole charge of the nuclear family isn't something too common even just a generation ago and definitely in most parts of the world where community-based rearing is the norm.
Then I infer from that, their father is not in the picture?
I am struck by the craft of this piece; the escalation of the internet's intrusive and addictive presence felt inevitable until the perfect ending!
In my head is the wise contrast you point to " When we miss someone, we can feel the absence of a full being."