However, I have a lot of friends with children and some of their takes are completely irrational to me.
“Let the kids WALK three blocks to school? Not anymore, things aren’t like what we grew up with. It’s scary out there!”
Exactly. Violent crime, etc has been on a general and significant downward trend since we were kids (80s and 90s). It’s not what we grew up with - it’s significantly safer. The media drives a tremendous amount of anxiety and it’s extremely detrimental to parents, kids, and society overall.
It used to be “sex sells” (still does) but more and more it’s “fear sells”.