US soldiers killed in Vietnam were as young as 16. The average age was 23, so assume roughly half under that. The human brain isn't fully developed until 25.

Yes, but you aren't interfering with a child's ability to learn which is what we were discussing. At that age cognitive function that is typically affected by PTSD and high levels of stress is impulse control and rational control over your emotions.

the introduction of screens? We've had screens since the 1950s. And, I gotta throw back to XKCD on this one...

If you cared to read the study you would have learned that they are specifying passive activities. Playing games that actively have the user engage with thought is fine, what is harmful and is a growing problem is passive participation. Where the only thing you do is just swipe to the next piece of entertainment .

If you would have bothered to read the source you would have known that this comic doesn't have anything to do what we were talking about.

And in a largely agricultural or early industrial economy, it hasn't been a serious issue. These only truly become classified as "impairments" when they interfere with a very specific kind of intellectual labor.

Again, what does this have to do with your argument..... We do not live in an agrarian society.

So we had a four year long dip and we're finally caught back up?

No, we've been growing in debt and access to debt since the crash in 08, in 20-21 we saw a two year lull due to the pandemic. Since the end of the pandemic we have seen the most aggressive rebound in history, largely spurred by inflation and post pandemic spending.

There is no elasticity in these budget items.

That is not relevant to the current argument.