85% and then: Brainwashing children

When we are born, our brains are not very well developed but, by the time we are three years of age, 85% of the structure is in place. I was listening to a talk the other day and heard an idea that I (and many others) likely suspected. Parenting matters.

Well, of course.

One thing that stood out to me (based on my profession) was the difference in vocabulary development and the effects it has on reading and education success in later years. Low income children (US) in several studies have been found that by the age of three, they have heard 30 million fewer words than their more affluent counterparts. This has pronounced effects on future schooling achievements.

You might say something like 'School doesn't really matter' and you are probably right based on the content however, that is not what I am interested in here. It is the ability to learn that is affected, the ability to read and retain information. This will have an effect on independent study also.

However again, this is not what I want to focus on, I want to have a look at the 85% of the brain that is developed in the first three years and how much effect it may have. If missing 30 million words reduces schooling scores, what else could be affected?

People hand their kids phones and tablets and give them games to play, they sit them in front of televisions, they feed them low quality, sugary food, provide them with pointless toys and often see them more as a nuisance than humanity's future. Some people think that playing with tech early on is going to help them develop practical skills for the future. I disagree.

The games (even the educational ones) are engineered, they are feedback looped, narrow pathed, narrow skilled platforms that highly emphasize some development over others. They are addictive through their dopamine release over the slightest wins and train repetition of task. The jobs of the future are going to almost certainly be creative, games are not at all.

What they do train however is consumption. They train us to sit and eat over and over and feel good about it and then, when we have had our fill of that version, buy the next with slight changes and eat it all again. Our entire world is set up this way, it is an advertiser's dream, an artist's unknown nightmare.

The problem is that the people making the decisions for the children don't realise, they think they are so clever because, they are okay now. Very few parents in this world today grew up with a smart phone in their hands from birth yet, they are providing their children with this luxury.

I wrote a post a week or two back about teenagers being unable to look others in the eyes and I think this is an indicator of much more to come. Those first years where 85% of the brain is built is critical to their future abilities. Again, one can argue that in the future, new skills will have value but, I don't think these are the skills.

Anecdotally, I have several friends who are kindergarten and early primary school teachers, all of them have mentioned that they are increasingly having to teach children how to play, they literally have to teach children how to be children. The older teachers are surprised at how rapid the deterioration has been. They put it down to gaming and parenting values and they are right but, what does this lead to?

I would assume low curiosity and by extension, low creativity. The consumer brain does not look for challenge, it looks for ease of use, ease of discovery, and demand drives supply. The providers are only too willing to sell their wares to consumers but, they do not need to get increasingly clever about it as if you haven't noticed, the collective gullibility is going up as critical thinking and diversity of thought plunge.

We are so easily fed, we are so easily manipulated, we are so easily led.

That 85% is critical to a child's future opportunity and ability but, how many parents really consider this? How many think about the environment they create, the enrichment they provide and the effort and attention they give their children. I am not talking piano lessons, this goes well beyond that.

I see 2 year olds at the supermarket staring at a screen, I see young families at cafes and all are staring at screens, I see parents feeding their children junk and the children's bodies show the damage being done. Where does this lead our world, what opportunities await our children in their future? Do you care?

I do but, I am only responsible for one of those children, my daughter and I think about these things daily. A child's life can be fun, filled with wonder, laughter, enjoyment and love and still be educational. In fact I think it is those things that drive education, drive the curiosity and creativity.

But, it is hard isn't it? Parents know. It is difficult to get things done when a whiny child is pulling at the leg, it is hard to still find time to socialize and have a life when a child wants their mum or dad to lay on the floor and play Lego or, sit on the couch and read books. Children eat a massive amount of the day yet, you are responsible for them. Those first years are critical, why have children if you aren't willing to do your level best to provide them the best start you can?

And then, we look to the drive of the consumer mind again. It is not just the children who are hacked, it is the parents too. Us. Here we are scrolling feeds of useless pictures, talking about inane topics, worrying about pointless shows and movies and gossiping about the latest scandals to rock Hollywood. Here we are getting our little doses of dopamine at irrelevant achievements and training our kids to do the same.

You don't see? You think you are too smart to be manipulated? You think 'parent knows best'? Are you sure? We talk about the manipulations of the corporations, the banks and the governments and then, we provide our children with their products so we can have some time to ourselves, so we can be fed and led as well.

We are brainwashed into thinking we aren't, while we build our children to be consumers.

Taraz
[ a Steemit original ]