At the risk of sounding like an old person, I have observed that when we used to be in a physical room listening to a presentation from company execs or people in general, we tended to listen and not speak and then afterward we processed and discussed, maybe even collectively. We looked at what was said in retrospect, to the best of our memories, and decided on its merit. These days, online, we actively type, chat and heckle an ongoing presentation like school kids covertly passing notes in class. I don't think we listen or consider anything well because criticizing for social capital is paramount. The value for modern youth is in the criticizing of a perceived source of authority or power. Actually listening to the speaker or consciously considering their message, for better or for worse, is secondary, maybe even peripheral to the experience.





@darryl "The value for modern youth is in the criticizing of a perceived source of authority or power."

I don't think that's nearly as modern a phenomenon as you think.

Yes, the internet makes things go faster, but human nature is human nature.

@LouisIngenthron True. I should have specified that better. There will always be (and should always be) the natural irreverence of youth. This is a different phenomenon, I think -- it's a sort of performant willful ignorance, even against the advice of your peers -- just because they dare assert the power position of holding knowledge you don't already have.

@darryl Sure, but even that phenomenon is not new. For example, it's a big part of what drives drug use among youth, and why the DARE program failed so miserably.

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