The Inner Monologue

Oh no! The youth are at it again—absorbing some new form of entertainment that is obviously turning their brains into mush. Quick, sound the alarm! Call the elders! Society is crumbling because kids these days are… checks notes… enjoying stories in a slightly different format than we did.

Let’s take a little trip down moral panic memory lane, shall we?

• Novels (1700s-1800s): “Oh, great, now that books are cheap, young people are reading too much fiction! They’ll lose touch with reality! Their delicate minds can’t handle all these imaginary stories!”
• Radio (1920s): “Kids these days just sit around listening to voices in a box instead of engaging in real conversation. How will they learn proper social skills?”
• Television (1950s): “This flickering screen will melt their brains! They’ll become passive zombies, incapable of original thought!”
• Video Games (1980s-2000s): “Violent pixels will turn them into murderers! Also, they’re wasting their lives staring at a screen instead of going outside!”
• The Internet & Social Media (2000s-present): “Attention spans are ruined! Everyone is addicted to fake nonsense! The written word is dead!”

And yet, somehow, despite centuries of hand-wringing over the latest brain-rotting trend, humanity has managed to not collapse into a pile of drooling idiots. Shocking, I know.

Here’s a radical thought: Maybe humans just really like stories. Maybe we always have. Maybe the cave paintings weren’t just prehistoric grocery lists, but the first fanfiction. Maybe the oral traditions of myths and legends were the original binge-worthy entertainment. Maybe the only difference between a bard singing about dragons and a kid grinding in World of Warcraft is the medium.

But no, surely this generation’s preferred form of fiction is the one that will finally destroy civilization. Not like the last 50 things people freaked out about, which did… absolutely nothing to stop humanity from progressing.

The truth? Fiction is how we explore ideas, emotions, and experiences beyond our own lives. It’s how we practice empathy, problem-solving, and creativity. Whether it’s a paperback, a podcast, or Pokémon, we’re wired to engage with stories. And—plot twist—most people can still tell the difference between fantasy and reality.

So before you clutch your pearls over whatever new thing “the kids” are into, ask yourself: Is this really destroying society, or is it just making old people grumpy because they don’t get it?

Spoiler: It’s the second one. Now excuse me while I go rot my brain with some very important video game lore.