False narrative
Sir,
Back in the day when bicycles were a novelty, church leaders argued they were a moral affront. The church of the 1890s asserted sex workers were riding bikes to reach their clients (you cannot make this up). Another charge against cycling was that people were spending their Sundays on bike rides in lieu of church. Bicycles were not viewed as a useful technology but rather as moral decadence. Nothing captures the attitude towards bikes quite like this quote from the 19th century Christian Advocate publication, “…the thousands of young men and women joining the host of desecrators, betrayed by the allurements of a Sunday wheeling, is alarming.” SMH, old people.
A popular pastime for the older generations of the early 1900s was to lodge criticism against movies, stating; ‘They rob children of the preciousness of childhood’. Similar sentiments drove the discourse around radio. The American Journal of Psychiatry put it like this; “The new invader of the privacy of the home has brought many a disturbing influence in its wake. Parents cannot lock out this intruder because it has gained an invincible hold of their children.” (Bro, this was said about radio. Radio!).
Do you know what the 21st century old person enjoys more than gossip? Talking recklessly about our mobile phones and social media, of course. They speak as though social media is a lesser form of media. The truth is that social media is just more media and it is only terrifying to you if you’re old. Young people spend a lot of time on their phones because it is the most revolutionary communication device ever. It is more than that; it is a personal assistant that fits in your pocket.
When millennials become grandparents, a world without social media will be unimaginable. Just like how cycling is no longer a comment on your morality but a responsible form of transportation if one can be bothered about such things as their carbon footprint. It is further a good workout, or so I’m told, and a source of entertainment. As for film, that’s a teaching aid. It is a false narrative that movies undermine childhood. Animated films have enriched many childhoods including my own.
Mangaliso