Is it really human nature to be bad at understanding how much upbringing advantages you? Or just largely true of contemporary society, given the powerful cultural effect of the meritocratic myth?

The article ⬆️ links to a Parlt report, which claims, "Access to online porn has left C&YP, especially boys & young men, with a misguided representation of women, men & what sexual relationships look like." No misogyny before the Internet!?

Epitomises why I'm sceptical of 'new media is the problem'

Also reminded of an old idea (prompted by the rubbish ending to Game of Thrones) - someone should write 95% of a dynastic war epic, but 5% from the end, leave the 'next monarch' drama on a cliffhanger and pivot to the everyday activities of some supposedly minor characters. Their lives matter too.

I’ve been thinking (thanks to a well-timed @keeanga.bsky.social question at an online event) about how the idea of “wealth” is itself serving as the individualized “solution” rationalizing destruction of social supports.
“wealthbuilding” not insurance, not benefits, not pensions, not public housing

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Topological turning points across the human lifespan, Mousley et al.

Also, the data, predictably, is Western only (AfAIK*), yet BBC/Guardian don't mention and study itself mentions only once 🙄

*Subject locale is hidden: a glance at Supp T1 suggests I have to google the 9 constituent datsets. Got as far as finding that the HCP project (over half of data) is US data.

I strongly suspect that the functions some 21st century adults have decided are 'most important' are highly contextually contingent. If we didn't live in the (ridiculous) world we've created for ourselves, we'd value different functions (and they'd develop differently).