Whether you think I’m delusional or not (frankly I don’t care), this thread had a specific purpose and it’s been driven off the rails (somewhat driven by you, but also by others). Look at the first hundred or so posts. It’s for people who were struggling with getting laid off from their job due to the pandemic, who were sad they were cut off from their loved ones, who had a relative who had gotten sick or even died from COVID. There are so many other threads for continuing whatever point you’re so determined to make, so I’m not sure why you don’t start your own thread.
I’m cut adrift from the whole bloody planet. I don’t know what the hell is going on here, and I don’t like it. Well, no, I do know what’s going on here because 20 years ago we sat in a lecture theatre and discussed such things. And I still don’t like it.
Inevitably, you think your own problems are more important than anybody else’s. So, well, as you were. I’m off. Again.
Nope, they are just too proud to listen. They go to places of ill repute, get their money stolen on false pretenses, buy fake meds, won’t spend a dime on health or repairing/giving maintenance to stuff, believe temple sorcerers more than scientist, fall for every Line fake news meme… Why would I follow them of all people down the cliff? I ain’t no gerbil.
I agree with you @finley. Old people have life experience. This isn’t politically correct, but I absolutely do trust my elderly parents over strangers on this bulletin board. They’ve never steered me wrong. I may not see eye to eye with them on every issue but I respect and trust them 100%. They’ve seen things I could never understand. I’m very thankful they are sane in their mid-80’s because they enjoy their independent lifestyle. I know there will come a time in the near future where they need more care. Even when that time comes, they’ll always have my love, respect, and support.
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@Aikaili : thanks, I appreciate that. I’m glad I’m not the only person who thinks that old people have some function other than to act as a yardstick for the caringness of the young and inept.
Of course stupid young people grow into stupid old people who get scammed and burn ghost money as a solution for everything, but among their number are some genuinely wise individuals. As you said they might not necessarily be right (for a given value of “right”) on every occasion, but they do have access to information that the younger generation do not, and their closeness to death gives them a different perspective on life. And yet, the voices of older people have been carefully silenced, and the decisions are being made by people not old enough to have ever seen a crisis more challenging than running out of balsamic vinegar and EVOO.
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I think people are either smart or stupid - no matter their age. I’ve been on both sides. 
There’s a lot of research starting to come out now on the impact of lockdowns. People who were wavering onto the hard shoulder in 2019 are totally off into the weeds right now.
It affects different people in different ways of course. Young kids are going to be utterly fecked in the head - there’s a crucial window of development (particularly between about 2 and 4) where certain skills must be learned and certain brain development must occur. If it does not, it’s irreparable. Adolescents are going through a similar fragile period of brain development, and there are going to be a lot of young men and women completely unable to cope with adult life in the years to come.
All this was known before the pandemic. It’s mostly old-hat stuff; a lot of the basics were laid down in the 50s and 60s. They knew what lockdowns would do. And they went ahead and did it anyway.
Sure, WWII generation. It’s the biggest shared human phenomenon in History. Of course it’s going to have repricusions, however
Relax. They’ll adjust and end up listening to what we think it garbage music. They’re kids. Their minds are more resilient and flexible than a majority of people on this forum.
Unfortunately, no, they’re not. Kids in the 6-10 age range will probably bounce back. Very young kids and adolescents are going to have serious and irremediable developmental issues. We won’t know precisely what, but we can take a good guess. I was referring not to WW2 (which was a whole different thing) but to what we know about the acquisition of social skills, attachment, language, and various components of g (intelligence). At best, we’re going to have a lot of rather dull and socially-inept people who didn’t get the required mental stimulation in their formative years. For many, this will cause enough personal distress to result in an upsurge of things like self-harm, nihilistic violence, drug-taking etc.
EDIT: just to clarify, I’m talking about specific countries where they did “hard lockdowns” for months on end.
If they are still able to follow the rules, isn’t it a real wet dreams for these “they”?
Dude, they’re kids, they’ll make up the deficits. Especially the little ones. The lockdown was harsh, yes, but let’s not give up on them juuust yet. 
On the plus side, a lot of kids are being homeschooled now.
So, you’re hopeful that good music will return in full force then! #, Me too!
That might be what TPTB were thinking, but I reckon they were badly mistaken. While those three-year-olds who were locked down might well be more compliant, they will also be less able to understand instructions, less able to navigate through social situations, and generally less able to deal with life without getting angry and frustrated. They’re going to be a complete pain in the ass to manage.
OK, and maybe this needs to be moved, but what are basing your opinion on? It’s been like this for a while in urban public schools. Things seem fine in the burbs.
An undergraduate degree? Doesn’t make me an expert, but there have been enough case studies regarding childhood isolation to make me very worried indeed. Enough basic neuroscience has been done to suggest that young children who are severely restricted from social and mental stimulation have big problems in later life.
Possibly you’re looking only at the US, where people are far less willing to give up their freedoms, surrender to illusory fears, lock their doors, and lock their children in with them and their paranoia. Not all parents are like that. But there are (were) enough to cause some serious mayhem.
Technically, predictable and repeatable problem could be managed in a cost-efficient way.
Well, sounds conspiracy, but actually interesting mind gymnastics.
OK. I don’t think I’ll drive across the bridge of your expertise. I’m sure you’ll understand. I have a Master’s Degree.
In psychology? OK. Then I’m sure you’ll be able to point me in the direction of research suggesting that social isolation and sensory deprivation does not result in kids who lack the requisite mental toolbox for dealing with life’s challenges; that the missing pieces can be filled in at a later date with no loss of developmental timeline. My reading suggests that a lot of criminals, dropouts, and losers find themselves in sticky situations because they lack a sufficient solution-space to deal with life’s problems, and that it is hard, if not impossible, to teach them the required skills if they didn’t acquire them at the correct time.
That’s a complete misuse of conspiracy in this context. jesus 
Kids will be brattier when they aren’t hugged and loved when in their developmental phase? Not exactly a comparison to Hitler is it? Meh, I still say that they will make up any deficits if we let them work shit out for themselves. More fistfights in elementary school? OK. That’s how WE learned boundaries before teachers started breaking up verbal sparring and dirty looks. lol
Almost as soothing as “I’m from the government, and I’m here to help.”