Culture Gabfest: Netflix’s Incel Tragedy Adolescence

Suzanne Collins's "Sunrise on the Reaping" is the fifth installment in the "Hunger Games" series, serving as a prequel to the original trilogy. This book delves into the backstory of Haymitch Abernathy, a pivotal character in the original series, offering a glimpse into his experiences as a tribute in the Hunger Games. Readers can expect a continuation of the series' signature blend of dystopian fiction, political intrigue, and survival elements. The novel promises to expand the world of Panem and provide further insight into the events that shaped the lives of its characters. It's likely to be a highly anticipated addition to the "Hunger Games" saga.

In 'The Anxious Generation', Jonathan Haidt examines the sudden decline in the mental health of adolescents starting in the early 2010s. He attributes this decline to the shift from a 'play-based childhood' to a 'phone-based childhood', highlighting mechanisms such as sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, addiction, loneliness, social contagion, and perfectionism that interfere with children’s social and neurological development. Haidt proposes four simple rules to address this issue: no smartphones before high school, no social media before age 16, phone-free schools, and more opportunities for independence, free play, and responsibility. The book offers a clear call to action for parents, teachers, schools, tech companies, and governments to restore a more humane childhood and end the epidemic of mental illness among youth.