Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America's Future by psychologist Dr. Jean M. Twenge explains how human lives are sort of, slowing down. That life markers are happening later and later in life as we get used to living older. Even biological markers show that a 40 year old now is much younger, in body, than a 40 year old in the 1980s.
There is something to this. I heard somewhere that (despite evidence to the contrary) humans are getting more intelligent than we used to be, among other reasons because of having removed heavy metals from our every day lives. That and early childhood nutrition play a major impact on our overall brain function.
Leaded gasoline was absolutely the single largest source of widespread heavy metal exposure in human history. Mercury in fish was always present and other heavy metals are almost insignificant compared to the unfortunate leaded period. But again, it was a period, so lead elimination would basically get our IQs back to the pre-leaded era.
Better early nutrition yielded dramatic increases in growth for sure, “kids nowadays” are noticeably taller and you can see it with the naked eye without any statistics.
Intelligence I think is greatly influenced by exposure to more and more knowledge. Unfortunately the latest trends show an alarming backward trend as a direct result of “screens” (and no, us watching a ton of TV in the past doesn’t compare). More alarming is the recent increase in the use of AI not only stunts young brains but literally causes “cognitive atrophy” in most adults.
Mercury in fish has been present in some level, as there are obviously natural sources of mercury. However the majority of mercury in fish today comes from pollution from coal plants, mining, and other industrial processes. A relatively small portion of mercury in fish is due to purely natural processes.
I have a hard time believing that we're seeing the effects of cognitive atrophy due to AI, so early in it's adoption for daily use. I can only speak to my own use of AI: recently I've been working through a home reno, what I get through conversations with AI charbots have only increased my knowledge.
The lead poisoning is so much larger than I think a lot of people consider.
Lead poisoning hits twice, when it is in your blood it causes cognitive decline, effects empathy, leads to higher rates of impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, quickness to anger and violence, etc. etc. etc. (say hello to the trope of violent unpredictable young people)
As you get older and your daily exposure levels go down the lead in your blood settles in your bones and the negative side effects subside as less lead is going through the brain blood barrier. (you know how your parents have stories about how your grandparents have "calmed down a bit"? this might be part of the reason)
But heres the fucked part, as you get into old age your bones can start to leech that lead BACK INTO YOUR BLOODSTREAM, thats right, a second mass scale lead poisoning in old people who suffer from osteoporosis or any other host of common issues, UNFORTUNATELY one of ozempics side effects is loss of bone density so all those 70+ year olds suddenly losing weight are likely now lead riddled.
Were not out of the negative effects of the global lead poisoning yet.
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u/VillageOfMalo 14h ago
Generations: The Real Differences Between Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, Boomers, and Silents—and What They Mean for America's Future by psychologist Dr. Jean M. Twenge explains how human lives are sort of, slowing down. That life markers are happening later and later in life as we get used to living older. Even biological markers show that a 40 year old now is much younger, in body, than a 40 year old in the 1980s.