Intelligence Squared

Jonathan Haidt on How to Free the Anxious Generation (Part Two)

May 1, 2025

In this engaging discussion, Jonathan Haidt, a social psychologist and bestselling author renowned for his insights on morality and technology's effects on youth, tackles the mental health crisis afflicting today's young individuals. He links the rise in adolescent distress to a decline in free play and the rampant use of smartphones. Haidt offers practical strategies for parents and educators to combat these challenges. This conversation illuminates how to reclaim agency in a digital age and fosters hope for a brighter future for the anxious generation.

39:37

Episode guests

Jonathan Haidt

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Episode notes

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

The rise in adolescent mental illness since the early 2010s is attributed to a decline in free play and increased smartphone use.

Haidt advocates for collective action, proposing social norms like delaying smartphone access to foster healthier childhood development and social interactions.

Deep dives

The Impact of Technology on Childhood Development

Smartphones and social media have fundamentally altered childhood experiences, contributing to rising rates of mental illness among children and teenagers. Jonathan Haidt highlights that the overprotection of children by parents, combined with the pervasive influence of technology, creates an environment where genuine social interactions are diminished. The negative consequences are evidenced by a significant increase in the number of adolescents who feel that their lives are useless, with the statistic jumping from 9% to 18% in recent years. This shift signals an urgent need for society to address the ways technology interferes with healthy childhood development and emotional well-being.

Intro

3min

Reclaiming Control in a Digital Age

8min

Navigating Social Media Challenges for Children

19min

The Dangers of Educational Technology in Schools

6min

The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Bullying and Morality

4min

“This great rewiring of childhood, I argue, is the single largest reason for the tidal wave of adolescent mental illness that began in the early 2010s.” — Jonathan Haidt

The mental health of young people has become one of the most pressing issues of our time. In recent months, debates have raged about the impact of smartphones on adolescent wellbeing: Should they be banned in schools? Should children under 14 or 16 even have access to them? These questions have fuelled a growing movement to address the crisis in youth mental health — and no one has done more to lead this conversation than American social psychologist Jonathan Haidt.

Haidt’s groundbreaking book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, has topped bestseller lists on both sides of the Atlantic, sparking urgent conversations among parents, educators and policymakers. Drawing on years of research, Haidt argues that the dramatic rise in adolescent mental distress is linked to two seismic shifts: the decline of free play in childhood and the proliferation of smartphones.

As the paperback edition of The Anxious Generation hit the shelves, Haidt returned to the UK to share a hopeful message: it’s not too late to act. In conversation with BBC journalist Jonny Dymond, he outlined practical strategies for parents, teachers and teenagers to counter the forces eroding mental wellbeing — and inspire a new generation to thrive.

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Intelligence Squared

Jonathan Haidt on How to Free the Anxious Generation (Part Two)

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Impact of Technology on Childhood Development

Regaining Control Over Attention

Collective Action and Social Norms

Educational Technology and Its Consequences

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts