Habits and Hustle

Episode 447: Jonathan Haidt: Smartphones and the Anxious Generation - What Parents Need to Know

May 6, 2025

57:42

What if smartphones are causing the youth mental health crisis? In this episode of the Habits and Hustle podcast, I talk with social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, as he reveals how the "great rewiring of childhood" between 2010-2015 led to alarming increases in anxiety and depression among children and teens.

We discuss how we've created a contradictory world of overprotection in real life but underprotection online, leaving children vulnerable to predators and mental health challenges. We also dive into why play is essential (he calls it "Vitamin P"), how technology fragments attention spans, and why collective action is our best hope for change.

Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist, Professor at NYU, and co-founder of Let Grow, an organization dedicated to promoting childhood independence. His books include "The Anxious Generation" and "The Coddling of the American Mind."

What We Discuss:

04:59 The Anxious Generation: Understanding the Rise of Anxiety

10:00 Social Media's Impact on Girls vs. Boys

14:46 The Importance of Play in Child Development

25:04 The Concept of Anti-Fragility in Children

27:56 The Importance of Risk in Child Development

32:18 The Case for Phone-Free Schools

33:55 The Impact of Technology on Education

36:08 Declining Test Scores and Educational Equity

39:46 The Dangers of Multitasking

41:12 Screen Time: Good vs. Bad Uses

43:17 Social Skills and Mental Health Crisis