Rethinking Screen Time: The Dangers of Simplistic Metrics in Modern Life
Are you concerned about how much time your child spends glued to a screen? Before jumping to conclusions, consider the nuanced perspective of American philosopher C. Thi Nguyen, who observes his eight-year-old son's tablet use with a critical eye.
The Flawed Category of 'Screen Time'
Nguyen challenges the pervasive negativity surrounding the term 'screen time', arguing it is fundamentally reductive. Children's digital activities vary dramatically – from mindlessly watching hypnotic YouTube videos about unpacking toys to actively navigating educational science content about black holes, or becoming engrossed in free-to-play games. The blanket category 'screen time' lumps all these diverse experiences together, obscuring what is truly valuable or harmful.
When Measures Become Targets: Goodhart's Law in Action
This critique forms the core of Nguyen's argument: focusing on simplistic measures often leads to trouble. He invokes economist Charles Goodhart's famous principle: 'When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.' A stark example is when a restaurant prioritises maximising its Yelp review ratings over the fundamental goal of serving excellent food. The metric, intended as an indicator of quality, becomes a distorting target itself.
The Necessity and Imperfection of Hard Rules
Nguyen acknowledges that society sometimes requires clear-cut rules, even imperfect ones. The legal definition of maturity for voting – being 18 years old – is a prime example. While many individuals are far from mature at that age, and some adults' right to vote may inspire little confidence, a more nuanced, individual assessment at polling stations would be entirely unworkable. At a systemic level, such blunt instruments are often necessary.
The Power of Individual Context and Common Sense
However, at the individual level, where richer information is available, common sense should prevail over rigid metrics. Nguyen illustrates this with film ratings: a movie might be rated PG-13, but he won't automatically forbid his son from watching it. 'I have a lot of detailed information about this particular movie and this particular kid,' he notes, emphasising the importance of context.
How Metrics Can Lead Us Astray: From Diets to Lifespans
Nguyen shares a personal anecdote about dieting to get fitter. After achieving his initial goal, he became fixated on his weight as a 'score' in itself, continuing to lose weight unnecessarily. This highlights a broader issue with many health metrics: they typically target quantifiable measures like weight, BMI, and lifespan, often neglecting intangible qualities like joy and fulfilment. As the old adage goes, giving up drinking might not make you live longer – it just feels that way.
His comments on lifespan serve as a crucial reminder for those who believe a longer life is the sole indicator of a good life. The pursuit of metrics can also lead to institutional absurdities. For instance, American law school rankings consider applicant rejection rates as a sign of elitism. Once schools realised this, some began encouraging hopeless candidates to apply simply to reject them and artificially inflate their standing – a clear case of metrics driving perverse incentives.
Ultimately, Nguyen's insights urge parents, educators, and policymakers to look beyond simplistic scores. Whether assessing a child's digital habits, personal health, or institutional quality, a deeper understanding of context and purpose is essential to avoid the pitfalls of reductive measurement.
