Children in England growing up 'sedentary, scrolling and alone', say experts

Scope of the Problem: Phones, Dopamine, and Culture

• Many see “endless entertainment in a rectangle” as a civilization-wide threat, with some arguing all cultures exposed to cheap smartphones are affected, rich and poor alike.
• Others stress entertainment is a symptom: people pick easy dopamine (short-form video, games) over effortful activities because it’s always available and heavily optimized.
• Debate on agency: some say “you can’t choose your desires”; others strongly reject this as fatalistic, arguing habits and tastes can be changed, albeit with effort and experience.

Parenting, Work, and Helicopter Anxiety

• Screens are frequently described as “easy mode” parenting, especially when parents are exhausted by work and commutes.
• Some argue modern capitalism (two incomes, long hours) is fundamentally incompatible with attentive parenting; others counter that in previous systems people also worked hard but still raised kids.
• Helicopter parenting and fearmongering (crime, “child snatchers”) are seen as driving kids indoors and away from independent outdoor play.

Outdoor Space, Cars, and Urban Form

• Mixed views on whether “there is no outside.” UK commenters point to plentiful parks and sidewalks; others say traffic danger, hostile drivers, and “no ball games” norms effectively exclude kids.
• Some propose radical fixes like “ban cars”; others insist car dominance predates smartphones and can’t alone explain current trends.
• Loss of playgrounds and park funding is cited as a structural issue; removing “no ball games” signs is seen by some as symbolic without restoring facilities.

School, Bullying, and Being “Alone”

• Several bullied commenters say “sedentary, scrolling and alone” can feel safer than forced socialization at school, where recess meant daily physical and psychological abuse.
• There is a long subthread attacking modern schooling as prison-like and tracing compulsory mass education to religious/imperial or nation-building projects, with others pushing back using historical examples.
• A key tension: articles romanticize “socialization,” but for some, online worlds and solitary screen-based interests were and are a refuge.

Teens, Leisure, and Nostalgia

• Some note a gap in offline options for 12–18-year-olds: limited money, no pubs, finite tolerance for football. Screens become the only “equal footing” way to explore the world.
• Others say we romanticize the pre-smartphone era: past teens also did “nothing” or engaged in antisocial behavior (loitering, underage drinking), but at least they were physically together.
• Many argue the real question is what kids do on screens: learning, coding, reading vs. infinite algorithmic feeds. Phones as tools vs. phones as traps is a recurring divide.