Science Fictions Paid-only Episode 12: Jonathan Haidt vs. social media
Sep 17, 2024
Jonathan Haidt, a prominent psychologist renowned for his research on social media's effects on mental health, engages in a vibrant discussion on the troubling reality of our digital age. He examines how social media, particularly features like the 'like' button, has contributed to societal deterioration and mental health crises among youth. The conversation digs into complex debates surrounding causal versus correlational studies, shedding light on the intricate connections between social media use and well-being.
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Chivers Met Haidt; Tone Shift Noted
- Tom Chivers recounts meeting Jonathan Haidt and reading his earlier books like The Righteous Mind.
- He notes Haidt's earlier centrist, calming tone before recent alarmism.
Haidt's Apocalyptic Reframing
- Jonathan Haidt shifted from centrist moderation to apocalyptic warnings about social media's harms since ~2009.
- He links platform changes like the like/retweet and engagement algorithms to broad societal and mental-health crises.
Evidence Remains Ambiguous
- The hosts previously found evidence ambiguous on whether phones cause a mental-health epidemic.
- New debates focus on experimental (causal) studies to resolve ambiguity.