The evidence is completely unambiguous and quite clear, especially since it’s happening all across the world. The only ones who don’t want to believe it are those who want to protect their own fix and can’t let their addiction go.
When you see an international trend like this, chances are that it’s neither cultural nor political in origin. It’s most likely technological. And smartphones plus social media are the most important technology that has changed teenagers’ lives around the world over the past decade.
Ex-fucking-actly, propaganda victims.
A recently published RCT by Schmidt-Persson et al. in Denmark found that having both young people and adults exchange their smartphones for flip phones resulted in major improvements in their reported well-being, a decrease in reports of negative emotions and difficulties with their peers, an increase in prosocial behavior, fewer behavioral issues for kids, and even more exercise.
Oh-so-many people hate that their “convenient” smartphones are actually portals to hell, but that’s the way it is, motherfuckers. Deal.