Increments #82 - Are Screens Really That Bad? Critiquing Jon Haidt's "The Anxious Generation"
Mar 6, 2025
The discussion tackles the controversial thesis that social media is driving a mental health crisis in adolescents. The hosts scrutinize the reliability of Jon Haidt's research, questioning its methods and data consistency. They explore the complexities of youth mental health, emphasizing the need to differentiate correlation from causation. The conversation dives into the challenges of academics pivoting to independent platforms for sharing findings. Humor and personal anecdotes color their critical analysis of societal perceptions surrounding screens and mental well-being.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Citation Trends in Philosophy
- Old-school philosophers' citations peaked around 2018-2019, then declined.
- This trend, observed across diverse eras, suggests a systemic shift in academia.
Shrinking Humanities
- A potential factor is the decline in humanities enrollment, leading to fewer academics publishing.
- This shift towards technical fields like computer science could explain the citation drop.
Exiting Academia
- Vaden recounts listening to Adam Mastroianni discuss leaving academia for independent research.
- This highlights a growing trend of researchers sharing work online, bypassing traditional institutions.
