Pages | “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Causedan Epidemic of MentalIllness” by Jonathan Haidt

REVIEW BY MEREDITH MCKINNIE

“My central claim in this book is that these two trends—overprotection in the real world and underprotection in the virtual world—are the major reasons why children born after 1995 became the anxious generation.”

In Jonathan Haidt’s most recent nonfiction book, the author explores the mental health crisis among adolescents born since 2010, dubbing Gen Alpha the anxious generation. Haidt posits the brain-altering realities for young people experiencing a “phone-based childhood” as opposed to a “play-based childhood,” arguing that prolonged screen time means less face-to-face interaction, excessive online comparisons, and lack of focus and concentration, all compounded by the addictive nature of social media. Haidt writes, “This is the great irony of social media: the more you immerse yourself in it, the more lonely and depressed you become.” Phones are altering the developing brains of our young people, and while the uphill battle to reverse this reality might seem daunting, Haidt proposes collective actions that parents, school officials, and community members could take to lessen or alleviate the harmful effects of our ever-growing digital environment. 

One of the most interesting connections Haidt makes is the aforementioned “overprotection in the real world and underprotection in the virtual world,” suggesting that parents feel children are safe when they are physically at home, though online they are worlds away, sometimes with complete strangers. Close proximity lures parents into a feeling of safety, all while the harmful effects of excessive screen time and virtual interactions loom. In addition, overparenting in the real world makes for exhausted parents, as dual-income households are prevalent in American society. Haidt’s detailed account of how we got here, what we lost, and how we might navigate moving forward is compelling, timely, and requires effort in the real world. Haidt’s ringing of the alarm bells will resonate with parents and loved ones of adolescents, while also forcing us to reconsider our time spent online, as kids are not the only ones struggling with phone addiction. Haidt’s prescription is hopeful and accessible if everyone moves forward together in the best interest of future generations. 

Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist and professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business. His prior acclaimed nonfiction books include The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas Are Setting Up a Generation for Failure (2019), The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion (2013), and The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom (2006).

“The phone-based life makes it difficult for people to be fully present with others when they are with others, and to sit silently with themselves when they are alone.”