Are the Kids Alright? EPISODE 2: Smartphones, Social Media, and Loneliness with Jean Twenge

Whether you're a parent, a youth pastor, a teacher or a young person yourself, you've probably seen all of the headlines concerning Gen Z. Rates of depression and loneliness are surging, their relationship with technology is kind of troubling, and they are leaving the church in droves. We've talked about these trends a lot on the Holy Post, but we're not alone. Tenx10 is a new collaborative discipleship initiative whose mission is to make faith matter more for this younger generation. We've partnered with Tenx10 to create this series and to hear from experts in each episode about the challenges young people and those who care about them are facing. One of those experts is Jean Twenge, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, and an author with an expertise in generational differences and technology. She's known for her books iGen, Generation Me, and The Narcissism Epidemic, and she's argued that smartphones were the most likely cause behind the sudden increase in mental health issues among teens after 2012. Skye sat down with Jean to find out if the kids are gonna be alright. 

0:00 - Theme Song

0:18 - Intro

1:32 - Epidemic of Loneliness

11:41 - Solutions

32:51 - Tenx10 Info - Go to tenx10.org for resources on how to help the younger generation care more about faith

34:02 - Debrief with Kara Powell

48:48 - End Credits

Links and Resources

Tenx10 - https://www.tenx10.org/

Generations by Jean Twenge - https://amzn.to/3FOwCXH

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