Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People How Smartphones Changed Childhood: Jonathan Haidt on The Anxious Generation
11 snips
Jan 21, 2026 
In this insightful discussion, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, explores how smartphones have dramatically reshaped childhood. He reveals the alarming rise of anxiety in Gen Z and connects it to the digital landscape. Haidt outlines practical solutions for parents and educators, such as delaying smartphone use until high school and instituting phone-free schools. He also emphasizes the need for unstructured play to foster resilience. This conversation is a must-listen for anyone concerned about the mental well-being of young people in a digital world.
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Smartphones Rewired Puberty
- Jonathan Haidt links the sharp rise in teen anxiety beginning ~2013–2014 to the smartphone/social‑media takeover during puberty.
- He argues a phone‑based childhood replaced play‑based development, disrupting attention, exercise, and social learning.
Seven Lines Support Causality
- Haidt presents seven converging lines of evidence beyond simple correlation to support causation.
- He cites surveys, internal company documents, experiments, longitudinal studies, and legal discovery as combined proof.
Internal Documents Reveal Intent
- Haidt and his team analyzed internal company documents from legal discovery showing designers sought engagement even when it harmed kids.
- He cites company staff saying 'the goal is to addict them' as direct evidence of intent.
