Jonathan Haidt

The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

20:28 min
Health, Psychology, Sociology
400 pages, 2024

In "The Anxious Generation," Jonathan Haidt presents a compelling analysis of the growing mental health crisis among adolescents in the digital age. Haidt's work reveals how the widespread use of smartphones and social media has dramatically changed childhood development, contributing to an epidemic that affects girls more severely. Through careful research, Haidt identifies the four foundational harms of a phone-based childhood and provides transformative strategies to reclaim the essential elements of a healthy upbringing. This short equips parents, educators, and policymakers with the knowledge and tools necessary to address the challenges of raising children in a digital world. By following Haidt's recommendations, readers can take action to safeguard youth and nurture a generation of resilient, engaged, and mentally healthy individuals.

Jonathan Haidt

Jonathan Haidt is an award-winning social psychologist and professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business, where he is also a Thomas Cooley Fellow of Ethical Leadership. As a widely published author and speaker, Haidt has made significant contributions to moral psychology and character education. Most notably, he pioneered Moral Foundations Theory — an influential framework for understanding the core moral values that shape political divisions around the world. Haidt also co-founded the Heterodox Academy, an organization seeking to promote open inquiry, viewpoint diversity, and freedom of speech in academia and beyond. Known for his incisive analysis of current social trends, he is considered one of the preeminent social commentators exploring the foundations of human morality and their impact on politics and generative culture.

Chapters

The widespread adoption of smartphones and social media from 2010 to 2015 coincided with a sharp rise in mental health issues among adolescents, especially girls, likely due to the fundamental changes in socialization and development.
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Cover of The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness