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Gen Z has regrets
One way to quantify the value of a product is to find out how many of the people who use it wish it had never been invented.
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The survey shows that many Gen Z-ers see substantial dangers and costs from social media, says the writer.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
Jonathan Haidt and Will Johnson
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Was social media a good invention? One way to quantify the value of a product is to find out how many of the people who use it wish it had never been invented. Feelings of regret or resentment are common with addictive products (cigarettes, for example) and addictive activities like gambling, even if most users say they enjoy them.
For non-addictive products – hairbrushes, say, or bicycles, walkie-talkies or ketchup – it’s rare to find people who use the product every day yet wish it could be banished from the world. For most products, those who don’t like the item can simply… not use it.
