The Anxious Generation: How Smartphones Are Reshaping Childhood

In this Dialogue Book Club episode, host Elise Hu interviews social psychologist Jonathan Haidt about his book, The Anxious Generation. Haidt explores the link between the rise of smartphones and the mental health crisis affecting Gen Z. He explains how the shift from a play-based childhood to a phone-based one has led to increasing rates of anxiety, depression, and social isolation, especially among young girls. Haidt argues that excessive screen time and the pressure of social media have profoundly altered childhood development and urges collective action to restore healthier childhood experiences.