China is set to impose a two hour limit on young people’s mobile phone use – I’m grudgingly envious
I cannot believe I'm about to admit it, coming from someone who strongly believes in capitalism and its principles, but I have to acknowledge that the Chinese might be correct about a few aspects. Specifically, pandas and smartphones.
To begin with, let's talk about panda diplomacy. It's truly remarkable. Despite their overall lackluster nature - and as depicted by numerous internet videos of caretakers pampering them - pandas, to put it frankly, seem incapable of surviving in the wild. Nevertheless, these fluffy creatures continue to attract large groups of visitors.
However, it was only recently when my relatives from Edinburgh informed me that instead of being borrowed, the animals are actually leased to zoos. In fact, they are practically rented out through 10-year agreements.
Edinburgh Zoo, home to the only pandas in the United Kingdom, initially forked out £750,000 annually to ensure the well-being of its beloved duo, known as Tian Tian (Sweetie) and Yang Guang (Sunshine), upon their arrival on British soil in 2011.
The amount has decreased to a mere £35,000 per month, as the contract was prolonged to compensate for the shutdown caused by Covid. This arrangement will continue until October of this year when these individual enclosures of isolated goodwill representatives return to China.
Even after undergoing eight artificial inseminations, Sweetie was unable to conceive, but she did have the opportunity to meet the Princess Royal, which was quite pleasing. If there had been a baby animal, it would have brought immense joy, but it would have also required additional expenses. The Chinese are quite clever and cautious in their decisions.
And now let's talk about mobile phones. They also contribute to a sense of being alone, which is why Beijing intends to enforce strict restrictions on the duration children and teenagers can spend on their cell phones.
One suggestion would entail mandating that every mobile gadget, applications, and application platforms possess an incorporated "limitation mode" designed specifically for minors. This mode would restrict the duration of daily screen usage, allowing a maximum of two hours per day, depending on the respective age category.
So, adolescents between the ages of 16 and 18 will have their internet games shut off after reaching their designated two-hour limit. Individuals between the ages of eight and 16 will be granted one hour of screen usage per day, while those under eight will only be allowed 40 minutes of phone use.
And here's something even more interesting - individuals under the age of 18 would be prohibited from using electronic devices between 10pm and 6am. Just think about it. And the most amazing part is that instead of blaming the parents, the responsibility would fall on Xi Jinping. Well, at least if anyone had the guts to voice any concerns.
Besides the entire concept of a single-party authoritarian government (or to be honest, perhaps due to it), this particular suggestion is something that we should all support. Regarding the excessive and prolonged utilization of screens by our kids, relying solely on the authority of parents is insufficient.
Prohibiting your child from using TikTok due to concerns about their mental well-being is bound to yield unintended consequences, especially if they end up feeling excluded among their peers. It's akin to the experience of kids growing up in the 1970s whose unconventional parents rejected owning a television from Radio Rentals, resulting in them being left out of discussions about popular shows like Rentaghost.
In order for any limitations to be effective, a unanimous decision is required. The dilemma lies in the fact that, in Western society, the only common ground we can find is a strong shared conviction that action must be taken.
Written by another person as we cannot endure the sadness if we confiscate the children's Samsung phones; nomophobia (anxiety of being without a mobile device) should not be taken lightly.
I completely support China's initiative of setting boundaries on smartphone usage and slyly introducing them to us morally feeble individuals in the Western world. We are constantly demanding limitations, but lack the strength to enforce them ourselves. They could potentially call it "Catering Diplomacy".
