If I had had my way as a kid, I'd have watched TV all day every day. My dad would say "kids belong outside" and I'd be banished from the house until dinner time.
Wasn't allowed to stay inside and read comic books, either.
At the time I was sure I was being abused, but in retrospect he had the right idea.
TV has always been optimized for engagement and programs are carefully scheduled to keep you watching.
Isn't that GP's point? Parents in 2022 have a dramatically reduced ability to prevent their children from staring at a screen all day everyday. Even in school, they are glued to their screens. Even if you don't provide them a phone, they have cheap and easy ways to obtain their own.
Edit to add: The dad forcing his kid outside no longer stops them from staring at the screen all day.
Wasn't allowed to stay inside and read comic books, either.
At the time I was sure I was being abused, but in retrospect he had the right idea.
TV has always been optimized for engagement and programs are carefully scheduled to keep you watching.