Robin Hanson(@robinhanson):"It’s not entirely that young people have fewer social opportunities, but that they are encouraged to prioritize their own personal experiences and expression. On social media, self-optimization culture teaches young people that the most coveted rewards in life are secured through individual effort and ambition alone. There is a fear that our relational obligations can work against these goals by restricting our autonomy. It explains why more young people worry about what marriage and parenthood will require of them, rather than the benefits they offer."

2026.10.12 14:50

"It’s not entirely that young people have fewer social opportunities, but that they are encouraged to prioritize their own personal experiences and expression. On social media, self-optimization culture teaches young people that the most coveted rewards in life are secured through individual effort and ambition alone. There is a fear that our relational obligations can work against these goals by restricting our autonomy. It explains why more young people worry about what marriage and parenthood will require of them, rather than the benefits they offer."

Steven Pinker@sapinker

2026.10.12 13:13

When I surveyed my colleagues on the Council on Academic Freedom at Harvard for examples of how a lack of intellectual and political diversity was distorting scholarship & teaching in their fields, 1 example was avoidance of mentioning one of the most robust findings in happiness research: "Married people are happier. Period." | Why Americans Stopped Falling in Love.