The Anxious Generation

"The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt, examines the mental health crisis among adolescents that began in the early 2010s, coinciding with the rise of the smartphone and social media. Haidt argues that this "Great Rewiring" from a play-based to a phone-based childhood has led to significant harms, including social deprivation, sleep deprivation, attention fragmentation, and addiction. The book explores how social media disproportionately affects girls and video games and pornography impact boys, contributing to feelings of loneliness and despair. Finally, it proposes collective actions for governments, tech companies, schools, and parents to address this issue and foster healthier development.