Intelligence Squared The 12 Books of Christmas | The Anxious Generation: Jonathan Haidt on How Smartphones Rewired Childhood
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Dec 15, 2024 
Jonathan Haidt, bestselling author and social psychologist, dives into the alarming mental health crisis among teenagers in his new book, 'The Anxious Generation.' He discusses the dual impact of reduced free play and increased smartphone usage on youth well-being. A staggering increase in anxiety, depression, and self-harm rates reveals the dire consequences of social media. Haidt emphasizes the need for responsible technology use and advocates for a complete ban on phones in schools, urging families to foster real-world interactions for healthier childhoods.
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Teen Mental Health Decline
- Teen mental health declined sharply around 2012, marked by increased anxiety, depression, and self-harm.
- This decline is evident in rising hospitalizations and emergency room visits, especially among young girls.
Smartphones and Childhood
- The shift from flip phones to smartphones with front-facing cameras and unlimited data drastically changed childhood.
- This "great rewiring" led to increased social comparison, bullying, and a decline in real-life interaction.
Causality of Social Media's Impact
- While correlation doesn't equal causation, studies, including experiments and quasi-experiments, suggest a link between social media and mental health.
- Jonathan Haidt and Jean Twenge have collected and analyzed numerous studies, finding that many demonstrate a causal effect.
