What to know about the “Anxious Generation”
Featured Book | The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
By Kate Morris, Ed.D.
In his timely and urgent book, renowned social psychologist Jonathan Haidt presents a compelling examination of how smartphones and social media are fundamentally reshaping childhood—and not for the better. Through rigorous research and data analysis, Haidt illuminates the growing crisis of mental health among young people, directly linking it to what he calls our "phone-based childhood" era.
Haidt’s central thesis is both straightforward and alarming: the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media is actively undermining children's psychological development, leading to unprecedented levels of anxiety and isolation. Haidt doesn't just theorize; he builds his case methodically through empirical evidence, making his conclusions difficult to dismiss.
What makes this work particularly powerful is its accessibility and practical application. While grounded in academic research, Haidt provides concrete guidelines for parents and educators, including age-specific recommendations for screen time and strategies for discussing social media with children. These practical elements transform the book from a mere warning into an actionable roadmap for change.
One of the most poignant aspects of Haidt's analysis is his exploration of what children are losing in this digital age. He contrasts today's supervised, screen-mediated childhood with previous generations' experiences of free play, neighborhood exploration, and organic social interaction. In a poignant contrast, I found myself juxtaposing today's scene of children hunched over glowing screens with my own memories of childhood freedom—racing bicycles through neighborhood streets until dusk, exploring a world unfettered until the streetlights beckoned us home.
While many parents strive to provide their children with advantages they themselves lacked, there's a profound irony in realizing that our well-intentioned interventions may inadvertently deprive them of the simple yet invaluable gifts our own parents bestowed—the unrestricted joy of sun-drenched days, scraped knees, and uninhibited laughter. These comparisons serve not as mere nostalgia but as evidence of crucial developmental opportunities that today's youth are missing—opportunities that historically built resilience, creativity, and essential social skills.
The author's call to action is clear: adults must recognize their complicity in this "great rewiring" and take steps to protect childhood's fundamental nature. Haidt argues convincingly that by giving children unlimited access to devices and social media, we're inadvertently robbing them of the rich, real-world experiences that foster healthy psychological development.
While the book's conclusions are sobering, Haidt maintains a constructive tone throughout, offering hope alongside his criticism. His framework for understanding and addressing these challenges provides parents and educators with practical tools for intervention, making the work both enlightening and empowering.
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness is more than just another technology critique; it's a crucial wake-up call about the future of childhood itself. Haidt has produced an essential resource for anyone involved in raising or educating children in the digital age. His work demands not only reading but action, encouraging readers to engage in broader discussions about how we can better protect and nurture the next generation's mental well-being.
This meticulously researched and compellingly argued book should be required reading for parents, educators, and policymakers alike. In an era where digital devices are increasingly viewed as essential tools for childhood development, Haidt's work provides a crucial counter-narrative that challenges us to reconsider our assumptions and, more importantly, to take decisive action to preserve the essence of childhood itself. The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness is not an important read; it is an essential read. Beyond reading, I encourage readers to engage in discussions with their networks around the “phone-based childhood” and how we can work together to combat this new way of life for children.
About the Author
Jonathan Haidt is the Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership at New York University's Stern School of Business. He received his Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Pennsylvania in 1992 and then did post-doctoral research at the University of Chicago and in Orissa, India. He taught at the University of Virginia for 16 years before moving to NYU-Stern in 2011. He was named one of the "top global thinkers" by Foreign Policy magazine, and one of the "top world thinkers" by Prospect magazine.