Parents don’t want to drive kids everywhere, and cities have become more and more horrible for anyone outside of a car to travel around in.
That’s by design, by making it impossible/dangerous to be outside of a car, you make it so people are forced to own a car to leave their house. Walkable streets and public transport aren’t just a “children” issue, it’s an economic issue against a world that wants to force you to give massive corporations money.
All true. I just personally try to bring up walkability/good urban design whenever I see the opportunity (which is super often, because as you imply, it’s an extremely wide-ranging issue touching most facets of our lives), and I tend to limit my comments (at least at first…I’ll into further depth, like you did, if someone else then prompts further discussion of the subject) to specifically the matter at hand. In this case, that was children’s independence.
Which ironically then leads into the children’s safety issue that @psivchaz@reddthat.com mentioned, because of how a lack of people walking around leads to a lack of “eyes on the street”, which adds to the feeling that children alone are unsafe and targets for kidnapping or whatever.
As a parent, I’d be perfectly willing to drive my kids places. But where? Even if I took them to the mall, they’d be labeled “loiterers” and arrested, and if I drove them to the library someone would decide they’re too young to be in public alone and arrest me for neglect.
Yeah, almost every town when I was growing up had a youth center. They were awesome. I also remember a lot of library programs for kids. I don’t see those so much anymore. And yeah, like every weekend there was some kind of community event geared toward kids. Also roller rinks and laser tag. They were a bit dated by my time but were still affordable and going strong.
They have plenty of gas stations and mega store parking lots, not to mention the prisons of being monitored 24 hrs by cellphones and cameras on every corner. -oh boy, it’s cool it’s for their safety /s
came here to post something similar to this:
Spaces for kids are community centers, parks, libraries, art studios, gaming centers, etc…
The internet was always for work, and malicious adversarial models of engagement. Folks forgot that when they expressed more interests than that in it.
And I say that as an anarchist who loves entertainment in the internet. I do not expect friendships, but adversaries.
There were plenty of old collaborative and encouraging spaces even from the very early days. The message boards and forums were full of helpful and supportive people wanting to relax and just talk about their interests.
Put aside the internet for a moment.
Kids and teenagers used to have more real spaces to go hang out at. Community centers, shopping malls, arcades, etc.
Not so much these days. And it’s sad.
Parents don’t want to drive kids everywhere, and cities have become more and more horrible for anyone outside of a car to travel around in.
That’s by design, by making it impossible/dangerous to be outside of a car, you make it so people are forced to own a car to leave their house. Walkable streets and public transport aren’t just a “children” issue, it’s an economic issue against a world that wants to force you to give massive corporations money.
All true. I just personally try to bring up walkability/good urban design whenever I see the opportunity (which is super often, because as you imply, it’s an extremely wide-ranging issue touching most facets of our lives), and I tend to limit my comments (at least at first…I’ll into further depth, like you did, if someone else then prompts further discussion of the subject) to specifically the matter at hand. In this case, that was children’s independence.
Which ironically then leads into the children’s safety issue that @psivchaz@reddthat.com mentioned, because of how a lack of people walking around leads to a lack of “eyes on the street”, which adds to the feeling that children alone are unsafe and targets for kidnapping or whatever.
And everything costs money
A lot more than it was back then too. It’s probably not viable anymore for some people.
Support your local public library
This right here.
If shit’s expensive as adults imagine as a child.
As a parent, I’d be perfectly willing to drive my kids places. But where? Even if I took them to the mall, they’d be labeled “loiterers” and arrested, and if I drove them to the library someone would decide they’re too young to be in public alone and arrest me for neglect.
Yeah, almost every town when I was growing up had a youth center. They were awesome. I also remember a lot of library programs for kids. I don’t see those so much anymore. And yeah, like every weekend there was some kind of community event geared toward kids. Also roller rinks and laser tag. They were a bit dated by my time but were still affordable and going strong.
They have plenty of gas stations and mega store parking lots, not to mention the prisons of being monitored 24 hrs by cellphones and cameras on every corner. -oh boy, it’s cool it’s for their safety /s
came here to post something similar to this: Spaces for kids are community centers, parks, libraries, art studios, gaming centers, etc…
The internet was always for work, and malicious adversarial models of engagement. Folks forgot that when they expressed more interests than that in it.
And I say that as an anarchist who loves entertainment in the internet. I do not expect friendships, but adversaries.
There were plenty of old collaborative and encouraging spaces even from the very early days. The message boards and forums were full of helpful and supportive people wanting to relax and just talk about their interests.