Should we eliminate childhood?

Discuss the evolution of human culture, economics and politics in the decades and centuries ahead
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LukeScaggs
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Re: Should we eliminate childhood?

Post by LukeScaggs »

Lorem Ipsum wrote: Thu Sep 08, 2022 4:27 am
LukeScaggs wrote: Wed Sep 07, 2022 10:45 pm Even though it passed more than a year, I am asking myself and this world, where could we arrive if not passing through childhood? It is too rude to fall promptly and directly into many adult responsibilities.
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Bird
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Re: Should we eliminate childhood?

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LukeScaggs wrote: Thu Sep 08, 2022 2:09 pm
Lorem Ipsum wrote: Thu Sep 08, 2022 4:27 am
LukeScaggs wrote: Wed Sep 07, 2022 10:45 pm Even though it passed more than a year, I am asking myself and this world, where could we arrive if not passing through childhood? It is too rude to fall promptly and directly into many adult responsibilities.
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Nanotechandmorefuture
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Re: Should we eliminate childhood?

Post by Nanotechandmorefuture »

Yuli Ban wrote: Sun May 30, 2021 11:18 pm I have so many feelings on this, but the chief one follows Set and Meet Goals' point:
By the time we even could eliminate childhood, there'd be no point. Just about any topic that involves human society or biology is rendered redundant by AI and robotics.

Which leads into my second point: barring posthumans, the average person of 2121 AD is probably going to live a life of such machine-curated luxury as to be superior to that of the great emperors of old.

Wouldn't this serve the exact opposite purpose? Wouldn't childhood instead be extended?

In fact, you see this already with plenty of people, especially those on the spectrum. The stereotypical "Millennial". Well, there are multiple Millennial stereotypes, but the one I'm referring to is the Millennial Manchild. You know their kind: they watch, read, and play almost exclusively things that are aimed at children, hold Disneyland as some modern mecca, think of Harry Potter and other children's books as high literature, and regard "adult" storytelling as either boring, irrelevant, or nonexistent in lieu of strawmen (e.g. "adult shows are all sports, reality TV, boring soap operas, or edgy gorefests"). They're 30 going on 10 and dwell almost exclusively in nostalgia for their childhood. If they had the opportunity, they'd gladly be turned back into children again. Heck, you might think they want to be kids with the benefits of adulthood, but I've noticed plenty (again, especially on the spectrum) who genuinely want to be kids again even with all the limitations that come with it. Even though it'd mean going back to school and doing homework and not being taken seriously by grown-ups and always listening to Mommy and Daddy— as long as they're kids indefinitely. I guess if you have an indefinite lifespan and magical technology, it's something, and an eternal childhood in a loving family isn't necessarily a bad choice, though I can think of better.

More well-adjusted people are the ones who'd love to be "grown children," so they get all the benefits of extreme youth and childlike wonder with adult intelligence and social awareness, but they still do want to be younger. This is a growing trend.

I believe I mentioned years ago a phenomenon to come, a coming outgrowth of the NEET and hikkikomori known as "katoikidia": those who are shut-ins and have every need or want tended to by automation. Something I myself wouldn't mind being, in all honesty. But I'm not the biggest fan of being a little kid again. Sad thing is, I'm probably rare in that regard. Just as rare as my technosexual interests not being rooted in inceldom.
My point with this is: when these katoikidia, these "house pets," become a regular thing in society, we're going to see a mass regression to childhood among adults. Not among all of them, probably not even among half or a third of them (because the allure of eternal sex and hedonism is far more enticing to people than eternal childhood), but enough to be a sizable population to render this thought experiment moot. We'd just end childhood amongst children only for adults to subsist in it for the rest of their existence. Why bother?

No one other than technocratic totalitarians, deeply and profoundly sociopathic libertarians/anarcho-capitalists, and the stereotypical emotionless Transhumanist who has no understanding of humanity want to end childhood for the sake of productivity.
Yep can confirm! Not sure about the spectrum stuff though everything else seems spot on for being a Millenial. I got sidetracked growing up but now since I'm slated to work a chill job that I could have easily been doing years ago I am easing into the chillaxed kid mode I always have been all my life. In my view the people who always told me to "be realistic" were always some depressed people who gave up on themselves while the world was changing to what we can see happening now in the 2020's. That is the one thing that has always been apparent to me and why I have wanted to break away for years from conservatives especially in this area that is full of them. Individual life experiences may vary out there of course for anyone out there reading this as always which is why I'm relaying my experiences here at Miami, FL for the past 20 years at least.

With all this tech we are about to see the safest world possible especially when androids and general use robots are a normal occurance in society IMO. That would probably phase out a lot of this annoying "tuff guy" stuff that has lead to all sorts of annoying folks that seems to have toned down starting in the 2020's. THAT has seemed to be one particular trend to me now that this tech is just beginning to change our lives like the internet did in the 2000's to 2010s.
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caltrek
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Re: Should we eliminate childhood?

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Matt wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 3:14 am
LukeScaggs wrote: Thu Sep 08, 2022 2:09 pm
Lorem Ipsum wrote: Thu Sep 08, 2022 4:27 am
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Doozer
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Re: Should we eliminate childhood?

Post by Doozer »

If we eliminate childhood, we loose part of our humanity.
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peekpok
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Re: Should we eliminate childhood?

Post by peekpok »

If had access to some kind of miraculous BCI and full-dive VR, I would probably relive various childhood scenarios in different variations, many times. Honestly I really miss the excitement and wonder of childhood. As an adult it feels like I already know everything (everything good, anyways) and never feel excited.
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sm_max
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Re: Should we eliminate childhood?

Post by sm_max »

hmm, childhood is a special time in life that should be cherished and enjoyed :!: While some parents may be tempting to want to hurry children through this stage...
At the moment, I think that I will not take away my child’s childhood at least until 5 years old :?
Last edited by sm_max on Mon Oct 03, 2022 4:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
FrancisJacobi
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Re: Should we eliminate childhood?

Post by FrancisJacobi »

But why should we eliminate such an important part of our lives? Childhood is a very important person in the live of each person. It's a period for making mistakes, having fun, getting new skills, communication and many other things.
If we eliminate it, we will loose significant part of us.
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sm_max
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Re: Should we eliminate childhood?

Post by sm_max »

FrancisJacobi wrote: Thu Sep 29, 2022 5:29 pm But why should we eliminate such an important part of our lives? Childhood is a very important person in the live of each person. It's a period for making mistakes, having fun, getting new skills, communication and many other things.
If we eliminate it, we will loose significant part of us.
Agree with you. During this period, friendship helps to develop the skills necessary in life, which will bring confidence and strengthen self-esteem.
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citali_
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Re: Should we eliminate childhood?

Post by citali_ »

weatheriscool wrote: Sat May 29, 2021 9:56 pm Hell no, playing around, love and family are all more important then productivity.

I'd go as far as to suggest that if we can have robots do the productivity that would allow for more fun, more childhood and more love. OF course, personal achievement is good also but that can be fit into the extra time. ;)
I agree!
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