Podcast appearances and mentions of Jonathan Haidt

What do you think of this episode? Do you have any topics you'd like me to cover?How we parents manage technology in our homes, and what we put in the hands of our kids, has turned into one of the most hotly debated topics amongst parents and experts. In this episode, I talk to Dr. Lucy Foulkes, Oxford academic psychologist and author, about social media's role in adolescent mental health, challenging the narrative popularized by Jonathan Haidt and exploring why phones and social platforms aren't the universal villains they're often made out to be. Dr Foulkes has a fascinating take on mental health and whether our well-intentioned conversations around the subject, especially in schools and on social media, might have gone too far; creating confusion or even anxiety for parents and young people. If you want a nuanced, evidence-based discussion that will help you support your teen with more confidence and less fear you've found it.Dr. Lucy Foulkes:  BooksWhat Mental Illness Really Is (…and what it isn't) Coming Of Age: How Adolescence Shapes Us,Website: https://www.lucyfoulkes.com/Book recommended: The End of Trauma by George BonannoIt's important not to pathologize normal adolescent struggles. Not all teenagers have mental health problems. Most are resilient and functioning well. All distress should be taken seriously, not just clinical disorders.Increased mental health awareness only helps if there is proper back-up and support for those who really need it.Mental health terms are often misunderstood. Words like “OCD” are often used casually, diluting their meaning and making it harder for those with real disorders to be understood and supported.The narrative that phones and social media are causing a mental health crisis is oversimplified and often exaggerated (as in Jonathan Haidt's work). Parental engagement and open conversations matter. The best approach is to guide teens in managing technology, set consistent family rules, and model healthy behavior, rather than banning devices or demonizing their use.Both online and offline experiOtoZen — a new driving safety appAre you worried about your teenager getting distracted behind the wheel? The OtoZen app helps in real time — not just after something's gone wrong. It has voice alerts, drive scores, and even safe driving challenges you can set together, it's the kind of tech that actually helps your teen build better habits. OtoZen — a new driving safety app OtoZen helps build better habits in real time with voice alerts, drive scores, and safey challenges.Support the showThis episode is sponsored by OtoZen: The brilliant new driving safety app https://www.otozen.com Please hit the follow button if you like the podcast, and share it with anyone who might benefit. You can review us on Apple podcasts by going to the show page, scrolling down to the bottom where you can click on a star then you can leave your message. I don't have medical training so please seek the advice of a specialist if you're not coping. My email is teenagersuntangled@gmail.com And my website has a blog, searchable episodes, and ways to contact me:www.teenagersuntangled.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/teenagersuntangled/Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/teenagersuntangled/You can reach Susie at www.amindful-life.co.uk

On our first ever episode of Mom's Car we welcome Mom herself, award-winning actress and beloved spouse Kristen Bell. Kristen, Dax, and Best Friend Aaron Weakley talk through sim sizes of the Chevrolet Bolt and why Kristen loves hers so much she wanted multiple backups, BFAW describes the experience of receiving Dax's big heart for the first time, the gang get their first delivery while processing assumptions about those who order food to their home, field a write-in question from a concerned impending empty nester, and debate one of Jonathan Haidt's moral dumbfoundings.#sponsored by @Allstate. Go to https://bit.ly/momscar to check Allstate first and see how much you could save on car insurance.Follow Armchair Expert on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch new content on YouTube or listen to Armchair Expert early and ad-free by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify. Start your free trial by visiting wondery.com/links/armchair-expert-with-dax-shepard/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, Lisa and Zack discuss:Understanding the difference between everyday anxiety and an anxiety disorderThe role of technology and social media in contributing to Gen Z anxietyEvidence-based treatment approaches, including exposure therapyParenting strategies to support anxious teens without reinforcing fearKey Takeaways: Anxiety can be defined as an overestimation of threat and an underestimation of one's ability to cope, and it becomes a disorder when it causes significant dysfunction in daily life.Technology use often serves as a “medication” for uncertainty, providing short-term relief but contributing to worsening anxiety, with research suggesting decreased youth alcohol use but no mental health improvement.Accommodations, such as parents completing tasks for anxious teens, can unintentionally reinforce fears; asking guiding questions helps youth build coping skills.Exposure therapy works by gradually confronting fears until they become manageable or are disproven, reducing avoidance and increasing confidence. “Fear and anxiety have an incredibly important role to play in our lives. It's not all bad. It's not a negative emotion, but it is an emotion that requires some understanding and some skill to address.” – Zack SchaferEpisode References:The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt: https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke: https://www.amazon.com/Dopamine-Nation-Finding-Balance-Indulgence/dp/152474672XSPACE Treatment by Dr. Eli Lebowitz: https://www.spacetreatment.net/BePresent App: https://www.bepresentapp.com/Get Lisa's Free on-demand video: How-to guide for your teen to choose the right major, college, & career...(without painting themselves into a corner, missing crucial deadlines, or risking choices you both regret). flourishcoachingco.com/video Connect with Zack:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mountainvalleytreatmentcenter/Website: https://mountainvalleytreatment.org/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zack-schafer-a6026b108/Fear Less Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/Email: zschafer@mountainvalleytreatment.orgConnect with Lisa:Website: https://www.flourishcoachingco.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@flourishcoachingcoInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/flourishcoachingco/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flourish-coaching-co

Jeremy Wendt sits down with Jessica Eldridge, Director of Advocacy for Educated Play, to talk about her transition from educator to champion of inclusive outdoor learning spaces. With a background as a teacher, special education teacher, principal, and RTI coordinator, Eldridge now works with a recreation company that builds inclusive playgrounds, turf sports fields, and outdoor classrooms. Starting her new role on July 1, she helps schools write and secure grants for these projects, combining her passion for education with a desire to spend more time with her son and explore a new path. She highlights the importance of outdoor play in child development, referencing The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and citing research that shows how meaningful brain breaks through play can significantly improve classroom engagement. From testing new equipment to advocating for better learning environments, Eldridge brings years of experience and fresh energy to the future of educational play. Listen To The Local Matters Podcast Today! News Talk 94.1

By now, most people have heard of the “Anxious Generation” — but Laura Morton is expanding Jonathan Haidt's narrative. As the creator of the award-winning documentary Anxious Nation, Laura believes it's not just youth who are struggling — it's all of us.A little anxiety is natural – even helpful for performance – but we're seeing a sharp rise in the chronic, debilitating kind. In 2019, as a single mom to her own anxious teen, Laura set out to uncover the root causes of America's mental health struggles – and its impact on families. One powerful takeaway from her research: anxiety is energy. And that energy can be redirected — into creativity, passion, and purpose. We can reclaim our power, and we can teach our kids to do the same.In this episode of Scrolling 2 Death, host Nicki sits down with Laura to unpack the anxiety epidemic from every angle — including technology's growing role. Whether you're a parent trying to support your child or someone managing anxiety yourself, this conversation offers key insights, hard-earned wisdom, and tools for navigating today's anxious nation.Watch The Anxious Nation here.

In this GPS special, Fareed examines the growing disconnectedness in our increasingly digital world in interviews with experts Jonathan Haidt, Jean Twenge, Robert Putnam and Alice Evans. Together, they explain how we got here, and how we can reconnect.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On this episode we sat down with Zach Rausch, the chief researcher at the Tech and Society Lab at NYU, and the lead researcher for “The Anxious Generation,” by Jonathan Haidt, which was published last year. The core thesis of the book is that we've been overprotecting children in the real world and underprotecting them in the online world. The book points to data about Gen Z, the generation born from the mid-'90s to about 2010 showing significant increases in anxiety, depression and suicide. The book goes further and makes the case that it is the combination of the smartphone and social media apps that are the root of the problem.We recorded this interview on the sidelines of NCSL's Legislative Summit in Boston where he appeared on a panel with other experts discussing young people, social media and public policy.ResourcesAfter Babel SubstackSocial Media and Children, 2025 Legislation, NCSLZach Rausch website

What transforms reasonable people into an angry mob? Why are we so eager to dismiss those who disagree with us as inherently evil? These are questions which Jonathan Haidt has spent his career trying to answer. One of the world's most influential social psychologists and a member of Persuasion's Board of Advisors, he argues that a lot of recent cultural shifts are encouraging emotional fragility rather than resilience. A professor of ethical leadership at NYU's Stern School of Business, Haidt seeks to employ moral psychology to promote dialogue rather than division. In this week's episode of The Good Fight, Yascha Mounk sits down with Jonathan Haidt to discuss psychological differences between the left and the right, the human tendency to discriminate in favor of the in-group, and how to build a less tribal culture and country. Please do listen and spread the word about The Good Fight. If you have not yet signed up for our podcast, please do so now by following this link on your phone. Email: goodfightpod@gmail.com Twitter: @Yascha_Mounk Website: http://www.persuasion.community Podcast production by John T. Williams and Rebecca Rashid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation, we sit down with Tanya White—educator, lecturer, and creator of the Books & Beyond podcast series—to discuss the enduring legacy of Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks and how his ideas continue to shape Jewish thought today. Tanya shares the inspiration behind the podcast and the personal and intellectual journey that led her to focus on four of Rabbi Sacks's most influential books: To Heal a Fractured World, Future Tense, The Dignity of Difference, and Not in God's Name. She offers insight into her process selecting guests—leading thinkers, scholars, and educators who engage deeply with Rabbi Sacks's vision—and how these conversations helped her grow as both a scholar and a person of faith. As someone profoundly influenced by Rabbi Sacks and a fellow of the Sacks Scholars program, Tanya reflects on what it means to carry forward his mission in a world where his voice is sorely missed. We explore Rabbi Sacks's prophetic warnings about antisemitism, populism, and moral relativism—challenges that have only intensified since his passing—and ask what kind of moral clarity and leadership is needed today. Tanya shares what she believes Rabbi Sacks would be urging us to do now and what responsibilities we bear in his absence, not just as Jews but as members of a broader moral community. Finally, we delve into the power of dialogue across generations. Tanya discusses how Books & Beyond is designed to keep Rabbi Sacks's voice alive in the hearts and minds of young listeners, inviting them not only to learn from the past but to shape the future. For anyone seeking wisdom, depth, and a call to moral courage, this episode is a rich and inspiring listen.---*This episode is dedicated to the refua shelema of Sarah Miriam bat Tamar, Binyamin ben Zilpa, and our dear friend Yaakov ben Haya Sarah Malakh---• Bio: Tanya White writes, teaches and lectures on Tanach and Jewish Philosophy in Israel and abroad. She is a senior lecturer at the Matan Women's Institute for Torah Studies and LSJS and a lecturer in Jewish Philosophy at Bar Ilan University. The combination of an endearing personality, academic excellence and a love of Torah narrative makes Tanya's content unique, inspiring and intellectually stimulating for audiences of all genres and levels. Her lectures leave every attendee enthused and challenged to dig deeper and hear more. As the creative director, founder, and host of the groundbreaking podcast series Books & Beyond: The Rabbi Sacks Podcast, Tanya curates thoughtful dialogues that extend Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks's teachings into the twenty-first century, focusing on his most pivotal works and their relevance today. Across the series, she brings together an impressive array of guests, including Dr. Erica Brown, Sivan Rahav Meir, Natan Sharansky, Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik, Dr. Mijal Bitton, Dara Horn, Michal Cotler-Wunsh, Rabbi Dr. Raphael Zarum, Gila and Alan Sacks, Daniel Lubetzky, Yoav Heller, Rabbi Dr. Samuel Lebens, Jonathan Haidt, and Dan Sacker—each offering their unique voice to illuminate Rabbi Sacks's moral, philosophical, and theological legacy.---• Tune in to her podcast here: https://rabbisacks.org/books-and-beyond-podcast/---• Welcome to JUDAISM DEMYSTIFIED: A PODCAST FOR THE PERPLEXED | Co-hosted by Benjy & Benzi | Thank you to...Super Patron: Jordan Karmily, Platinum Patron: Craig Gordon, Rod Ilian, Gold Patrons: Dovidchai Abramchayev, Lazer Cohen, Travis Krueger, Vasili Volkoff, Vasya, Silver Patrons: Ellen Fleischer, Daniel M., Rabbi Pinny Rosenthal, Fred & Antonio, Jeffrey Wasserman, and Jacob Winston! Please SUBSCRIBE to this YouTube Channel and hit the BELL so you can get alerted whenever new clips get posted, thank you for your support!

Jeremy Wendt sits down with Jessica Etheredge, Director of Advocacy for Educated Play, to talk about her transition from educator to champion of inclusive outdoor learning spaces. With a background as a teacher, special education teacher, principal, and RTI coordinator, Etheredge now works with a recreation company that builds inclusive playgrounds, turf sports fields, and outdoor classrooms. Starting her new role on July 1, she helps schools write and secure grants for these projects, combining her passion for education with a desire to spend more time with her son and explore a new path. She highlights the importance of outdoor play in child development, referencing The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and citing research that shows how meaningful brain breaks through play can significantly improve classroom engagement. From testing new equipment to advocating for better learning environments, Etheredge brings years of experience and fresh energy to the future of educational play. Listen To The Local Matters Podcast Today! News Talk 94.1

Have a comment? Send us a text! (We read all of them but can't reply). Email us: Will@faithfulpoliticspodcast.comMore than half of all historical carbon emissions have occurred since 1989—after world leaders knew the risks. So why do we still believe we can innovate our way out of collapse?In this sobering and deeply philosophical conversation, Roy Scranton—former soldier, literary scholar, and author of Impasse: Climate Change and the Limits of Progress—joins Will to explore why our faith in progress may be our greatest liability. Drawing from his experience in Iraq and his study of civilizational decline, Scranton dismantles the optimistic narratives that shape American culture, from techno-utopianism to climate heroism.They discuss everything from American exceptionalism and carbon optimism to moral psychology, Jonathan Haidt's “elephant and rider,” and the ethical case for pessimism. Scranton argues that rather than trying to save the world, we should focus on how to live meaningfully in a collapsing one—with compassion, honesty, and courage.Whether you're a climate realist, a techno-optimist, or just anxious about the future, this episode will stretch your mind.

With a recent study highlighting some very sobering statistics on teens that author Jonathan Haidt said only reifies the hards truths in The Anxious Generation, Alvaro de Vicente of The Heights School discusses the success he's had in forming young men to thrive in this digital world by teaching generosity, self-mastery, empathy, and so much more. With a new book hitting bookshelves this winter, Leigh Snead joins to share her journey to motherhood in Infertile But Fruitful. Marking the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, Msgr. Roger Landry joins to share what he loves most of this Solemnity! Catch the show every Saturday at 7amET/5pmET on EWTN radio!

Scott speaks with Jonathan Haidt, author of The Anxious Generation, and Richard Reeves, founder of the American Institute for Boys and Men, to discuss the growing crisis facing young men and why it matters for everyone.  They talk about the collapse of in-person childhood, the rise of social media and gambling apps, and the loss of real-world rites of passage. Jonathan and Richard also share solutions for restoring purpose, connection, and opportunity for the next generation. Follow Jonathan, @JonHaidt.Follow Richard, @RichardvReeves. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode of 1819 News: The Podcast, host Bryan Dawson, CEO of 1819 News, sits down with Emily Jones, Director of Moms for Liberty Alabama, to discuss pressing issues in education, parental rights, and conservative activism in the state. Jones, who is also running for the Alabama State School Board against incumbent Wayne Reynolds, shares her passion for empowering parents and combating bureaucratic overreach. The conversation kicks off with the recent medical age of consent legislation, which raised the threshold from 14 to 16 despite fierce opposition from medical associations and state health departments. Jones highlights hidden gems in the bill, effective Oct. 1, prohibiting schools from providing mental health counseling, suicide prevention, or bullying programs to children 16 and under without parental consent. This addresses loopholes allowing ideological indoctrination, such as LGBTQ-related discussions, and calls for urgent updates to state education standards by board members like Kelly Mooney and Alan Long. Dawson and Jones then delve into the FOCUS Act, a new law banning cell phones and wireless devices in classrooms to enhance student focus and academic performance. Jones defends it against parental rights critiques, citing studies linking device access to rising anxiety, depression, and distractions. Drawing from Jonathan Haidt's The Coddling of the American Mind, she argues that removing screens for school hours benefits mental health and learning, while respecting family choices outside class. Throughout, they emphasize building conservative coalitions to advance bold policies, celebrating wins like school choice despite imperfections, and urging parents to reclaim responsibility from government entities. Jones recounts Moms for Liberty events, including a successful fundraiser with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene amid protests, and stresses civic engagement amid Alabama's "red state" challenges.

About the Show:“Everyone with access to a smartphone and technology today has access to the global library of entertainment twenty-four seven—and we all have to build self-control around it, or we're going to develop bad habits.”Ian McCreadyIn this powerful episode of I Am Northwest Arkansas®, host Randy Wilburn sits down with Ian McCready, founder of SelfCtrl, to tackle a challenge nearly everyone faces today: technology addiction. From video games to cell phones, Ian shares his personal story of how digital devices took over his own life and what he did to change for the better. Now, he's helping others across Northwest Arkansas and beyond find hope, healthy routines, and true connection outside of screens.Randy and Ian break down why technology is so addictive, how it affects both kids and adults, and what practical steps families, schools, and individuals can take to reclaim their attention and mental well-being. Ian gives honest advice about meaningful digital detoxes, setting boundaries, and building healthier habits at any age. Whether you're a parent struggling to limit screen time or an adult hoping to break free from scrolling, this episode is full of tips and encouragement for you.Key Takeaways:Awareness is the First Step: Admitting technology has become a problem is key. You don't have to call it an “addiction”—just a habit that isn't helping you.Dopamine Demand: Games and apps are designed to keep you coming back. As tolerance builds, it takes more and more time on screens to feel the same excitement.Detox is Possible: Even short breaks from digital devices—like a 30- or 60-day digital detox—can help your brain reset and bring back lost joy and motivation.It's Not Just for Kids: Adults of all ages, not just teens, are struggling with technology overuse and its impact on work, relationships, and happiness.Replace, Don't Just Remove: Find healthy activities to fill the time you get back—walks, conversations, reading, or family games—to make new habits stick.Support Matters: Be open with friends and family about your goals for change, and ask for their support. Accountability makes a huge difference.Self-Control is Learnable: These changes are challenging but possible, and Northwest Arkansas can be a model for positive change around healthy screen use.All this and more on this episode of the I Am Northwest Arkansas® podcast.Important Links and Mentions on the Show*SelfCtrl—Website, resources, and upcoming courses: selfctrl.comDr. Jonathan Haidt's Book: “The Anxious Generation”SelfControl on Instagram & Facebook: @buildselfctrlRecommended Reading: “Atomic Habits” by James ClearFindItNWA.com NWA's Hyperlocal Business DirectoryPodcastVideos.com – Rogers, AR – Podcast video production partnersTune in to KUAF 91.3 FM to listen to the I Am Northwest Arkansas® podcast on Ozarks at Large every Tuesday at 12 Noon...

In honor of "Supporting Young Minds Month," we are revisiting our episode with Jonathan Haidt.  The Anxious Epidemic is REVEALED. Jonathan Haidt Exposes the HEARTBREAKING ways our technology is designed to make us Addicted. Learn how Tech is Ruining Childhood & hijacking all of our ATTENTION. We're breaking down the SINISTER Evolution of how Smartphones are Ruining Childhood, impacting education, mental health, and even safety...and what we can do about it. Sharing scientific evidence that traces global mental health collapse directly back to smartphone usage, Jonathan Haidt (Social psychologist, NYU professor, bestselling author) reveals why Gen Z is in CRISIS, including why they're anxious, socially inept, and addicted to technology. PLUS....is there HOPE? Haidt shares his BOLD plan for collective action to restore a "human childhood"! Jonathan Haidt also breaks down: - Physical & social causes and symptoms of tech addiction in kids - How losing trust in neighbors & institutions is destroying our children's innocence - Why the devastating impact of shame on kids is worse than you think - Are half-measures enough when it comes to curbing your child's tech use? - Boys vs. Girls Online: How social media algorithms are designed to target and hook our kids - Why free play is essential for development into competent adults - How some level of adversity in childhood leads to critical problem-solving skills in adulthood Find yourself wondering why it seems impossible to curb your child's screen time? Don't let your kid become a STATISTIC - TUNE IN to MBB now for practical resources to protect their future! Jonathan Haidt's book, The Anxious Generation: https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/book Follow us on Substack for Exclusive Bonus Content: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bialikbreakdown.substack.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠BialikBreakdown.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube.com/mayimbialik⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  The Sacred Lie: Enlightened Masses, Media Manipulation & Digital Pentecostalism In this sharp-edged, high-density solo episode of the Toddzilla X-Pod: Escaping the Cave, Todd Thompson takes a sledgehammer to the sacred myth of democratic wisdom. Are “the people” really wise and self-governing—or are they dopamine-driven echo chambers manipulated by narrative engineers? Using thinkers like Walter Lippmann, H.L. Mencken, Edward Bernays, Jacques Ellul, Jonathan Haidt, and Neil Postman, Todd dissects the machinery of consent and the myth of the Enlightened Voter. He explores how social media rewires brains, how propaganda evolves into an ecosystem, and why moral outrage trumps rational thought in the Age of the Algorithm. Highlights include: The myth of the rational electorate and the machinery that exploits it Bernays' vision of democracy as a theater of persuasion Jonathan Haidt's “elephant and rider” model as the operating system of tribal politics Tristan Harris, humane tech idealism, and why you can't out-design human nature Digital Pentecostalism, identity marketplaces, and the religion of The Crowd A scathing rejection of both populist saviors and technocratic elites The call for epistemic rebellion and radical individual thought in a conformist age Fast-paced and intellectually packed, this episode hits propaganda, technology, digital addiction, tribal identity, and ideological theocracy in under 30 minutes. Not for the faint of thought.   Stream now and don't miss Todd's weekly shortwave show on WBCQ The Planet—Mondays at 10PM Eastern on 7490 kHz. More audio and written content on Substack and YouTube.

Text Us Your Feedback! (Likes, Dislikes, Guest/Conversation Recommendations). Dr. Mike Eiden is one of the youngest certified Co-Leaders in the Mankind Project, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Board-Certified Sex Therapist, and Certified Sex Addiction Therapist. With over a decade of experience in addiction and trauma treatment, Mike specializes in process addictions like screen and sex addiction, complex trauma, and relational healing. He recently defended his doctoral dissertation on helping parents address compulsive screen use in children.

Social media platforms are designed to hijack our brain's reward system, keeping us hooked through endless dopamine hits. This constant stimulation fragments our attention, reshapes our behavior, and can lead to burnout, anxiety, and even addiction—especially in developing brains. The more we scroll, the more we crave quick hits of novelty, making it harder to tolerate boredom or engage in deeper, more meaningful tasks. And while adults may struggle, kids are even more vulnerable, facing emotional dysregulation and long-term brain changes. The good news? Awareness is the first step toward reclaiming agency and creating healthier boundaries in a world built for distraction. Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist, bestselling author, and professor at NYU's Stern School of Business. His research focuses on the moral foundations of culture and politics, exploring why good people are divided by religion, ideology, and values. He is the author of The Happiness Hypothesis, The Righteous Mind, and The Coddling of the American Mind (co-authored with Greg Lukianoff), and has given four widely viewed TED talks. Haidt is also a co-founder of Heterodox Academy, the Constructive Dialogue Institute, and Ethical Systems—organizations that promote viewpoint diversity, constructive disagreement, and ethical leadership. Since 2018, he has turned his attention to the mental health crisis among teens and the role of social media in political polarization. His latest book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness, was published in 2024. In 2019, he was inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Cal Newport is an associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University. In addition to researching cutting-edge technology, he also writes about the impact of these innovations on our culture. Newport is the author of six books, including Slow Productivity, Digital Minimalism, and Deep Work. His work has been featured in many publications, including the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Economist, and he has been writing essays for his personal website (CalNewport.com) for over a decade. He has never had a social media account. Tobias Rose-Stockwell is a writer, designer, and media researcher whose work has been featured in major outlets such as The Atlantic, WIRED, NPR, the BBC, CNN, and many others. His research has been cited in the adoption of key interventions to reduce toxicity and polarization within leading tech platforms. He previously led humanitarian projects in Southeast Asia focused on civil war reconstruction efforts, work for which he was honored with an award from the 14th Dalai Lama. He lives in New York with his cat Waffles. This episode is brought to you by BIOptimizers. Head to bioptimizers.com/hyman and use code HYMAN10 to save 10%. Full-length episodes can be found here: How to Protect Your Child's Mental Health from the Dangers of Social Media How Social Media May Be Ruining Your Life How Social Media And AI Impacts Our Mental Health: Reclaiming Our Minds And Hearts And Healing A Divided World

Jonathan Haidt, en innflytelsesrik sosialpsykolog, har i sin nyeste bok The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (2024) rettet oppmerksomheten mot den økende mentale helsekrisen blant unge mennesker i dag. Haidts bok tar for seg hvordan endringer i barndommens struktur, spesielt drevet av teknologiske og sosiale faktorer, har bidratt til en alarmerende økning i angst, depresjon og andre psykiske lidelser blant Generasjon Z, de som er født etter 1995. Det er en rystende, tankevekkende og nesten litt skremmende bok (som ble utgitt så sent som i 2024) og den såkalte «Angst-Generasjonen» blir også tema for dagens episode av SinnSyn. Velkommen skal du være!Før jeg dykker ned i boka til Haidt, skal jeg kort si noe om veien videre her på SinnSyns mentale helsestudio. Jeg har nemlig plukket ut 50 bøker jeg synes er interessante, og bøker som har gjort det godt på bestselger lister eller fått andre utmerkelser for god kvalitet og spennende tematikk. Alt sammen er innen sjangeren psykologi og filosofi. I hver episode fremover skal jeg presentere en aktuelle bok og reflektere over innholdet. Det blir én ny bok i hver episode, og målet er å få med seg de viktigste innsiktene fra de beste tenkerne innen psykologi og filosofi. Det er ofte på denne måten jeg lager episoder her på SinnSyn , og sånn sett blir ikke dette den helt store forandringen. Jeg sier det likevel innledningsvis, fordi jeg også snakker en del om dette i begynnelsen av episoden som snart begynner. Som sagt blir det ikke så store forskjeller, med siden jeg på dette tidspunktet akkurat hadde laget et pensum på over 50 aktuelle bøker, var jeg særlig engasjert og ville prate om hvorfor jeg synes det er spennende og viktig å utsette seg selv for stadig nye perspektiver og innspill på alt som foregår i menneskers indre liv. Aristoteles oppfattet bøker som medisin for sjelen, og det er ingen tvil om at bøker kan spille en viktig rolle som del av den menneskelige dannelsesprosess og selvutvikling. Jeg har en del spørsmål til bøkene, og det er disse spørsmålene som danner utgangspunktet for innholdet i de kommende episodene.Jeg snakker også sporadisk om et «skriveprosjekt» i dagens episode. Det kommer i kjølvannet av øvelsesepisode 48 om skriveterapi på SinnSyns mentale helsestudio. Jeg har til hensikt å snakke mer om hvordan penn og papir kan være et viktig verktøy i selvutvikling tiden fremover. Evnen til å tenke seg om, reflektere dypt og deretter formulere det man oppdager skriftlig, kan ha stor terapeutisk verdi. Derfor er skriving som egenterapi noe jeg vil fokusere mer på i min kliniske praksis med pasienter, men også som del av SinnSyn i tiden fremover. I den forbindelse snakker jeg også om å skrive om egne drømmer, og kongeveien til det ubevisste er jo via drømmene i følge sikre kilder. Selv har jeg et prosjekt om å skrive ned egne drømmer, men i fortolkningsprosessen får jeg hjelp av en kunstig intelligent Freud. Jeg nevner dette i dagens episode, og hvis du vil sjekke ut denne kunstig intelligente drømmetydere, kan du bli medlem på mitt mentale treningsstudio via SinnSyn-appen. Der har jeg en drømmeskole og en kunstig intelligent Freud som hjelper oss å tenke dypere og assosiere mer kreativt rundt egne drømmer for å komme dypere inn i vårt ubevisste sjelsliv. Last ned SinnSyn appen i dag: Du finner den på denne linken: https://www.sinnsyn.no/download/ Vil du ha mer psykologi og flere dypdykk i menneskets sjelsliv? Bli medlem på vårt Mentale Helsestudio.Last ned SinSyn-appen på www.sinnsyn.no/download/ Eller meld deg inn via www.patron.com/sinsyn Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

➡ CLICK HERE to send me a text, I'd love to hear what you thought about this episode! Leave your name in the text so I know who it's from! This week's episode is chock FULL of tips on how to set boundaries if and when we decide to return to social media after this summer detox. If you've been following along on your own detox, but fear the dip back into the socials like I do, this is the episode you don't want to miss. Thekla and I talk all about protecting ourselves and being mindfully aware of our intentions upon return. And if you want to dive more into some of the research we talk about in today's episode, here are the links you'll want (h/t Thekla!) Self-Compassion in the Age of Social Media ResourcesScholarly ArticlesCastelo, N., Kushlev, K., Ward, A.F., Esterman, M., & Reiner, P.B. (2025). Blocking mobile internet on smartphones improves sustained attention, mental health, and subjective well-being. PNAS Nexus, 4(2): pgaf017. https://doi.org/10.1093/pnasnexus/pgaf017. PMID: 39967678; PMCID: PMC11834938.Kuchar AL, Neff KD, Mosewich AD. Resilience and Enhancement in Sport, Exercise, & Training (RESET): A brief self-compassion intervention with NCAA student-athletes. Psychol Sport Exerc. 2023 Jul;67:102426. doi: 10.1016/j.psychsport.2023.102426. Epub 2023 Mar 28. PMID: 37665879.Wadsley M, Ihssen N. A Systematic Review of Structural and Functional MRI Studies Investigating Social Networking Site Use. Brain Sci. 2023 May 11;13(5):787. doi: 10.3390/brainsci13050787. Erratum in: Brain Sci. 2023 Jul 17;13(7):1079. doi: 10.3390/brainsci13071079. PMID: 37239257; PMCID: PMC10216498.Websites/OrganizationsCenter for Humane Technology. humanetech.comDigital Wellness Lab at Boston Children's Hospital. digitalwellnesslab.orgAfter Babel by Jonathan Haidt. (Substack)Scales/MeasuresThe Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS)Support the show

This week we wrap up our book review on "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness", by Jonathan Haidt. We discuss the various collective actions he recommends and what we agree and disagree with. Get in in contact with Jeremiah and Selina today for a free coaching consultation! Phone: 208.557.1227 email: info@coreconnection.org Website: Core Connection   Our email: mentalhealthpod21@gmail.com

Are you worried that social media is destroying your teen's mental health? You're not alone. Jonathan Haidt's bestselling book The Anxious Generation has parents everywhere wondering if smartphones are rewiring their kids' brains and creating a mental health crisis. But before you rush to ban your teen's phone, you need to hear what the research actually shows. This summary episode brings together all the key insights from our 4-part series examining The Anxious Generation. We take a deep dive into the data behind the teen mental health crisis claims, giving you the essential findings in one convenient episode. You'll discover why those alarming statistics might not mean what you think they do, and why the correlation between social media use and teen depression is actually smaller than the correlation between eating potatoes and teen wellbeing. We'll explore what really drives teen mental health struggles, from family relationships to academic pressure, and why control-based approaches like phone bans often backfire, pushing our kids further away when they need us most. Questions This Episode Will Answer Is there really a teen mental health crisis caused by social media? The dramatic statistics may reflect better screening and diagnosis rather than new cases caused by technology. Does social media actually cause teen depression and anxiety? Research shows the correlation is smaller than that between eating potatoes and teen wellbeing, explaining less than 1% of variance. Should parents ban phones at school to help kids focus? Academic declines are tiny and international data doesn't support the phone-blame theory. Will banning my teen's phone at home solve their mental health problems? Control-based approaches often backfire and damage the parent-child relationship. What affects teen mental health more than social media? Family relationships, academic pressure, sleep, economic stress, and school environment have much bigger impacts. How can I help my teen with technology without taking it away? Focus on connection, listen more, work together on limits, and address bigger stressors. Why do teens turn to their phones so much? Phones provide autonomy, connection, and relevance that teens often don't find elsewhere. What do teens who self-harm actually say about social media? Many feel frustrated by attempts to blame social media and see the narrative as wrong and unhelpful. How can I create healthy technology habits without damaging trust? Include your teen in creating rules, focus on relationship building, and address underlying needs. What should I do if I'm worried about my teen's phone use? Look at the whole picture, build connections through listening, and work together on solutions. What You'll Learn in This Episode Why the "hockey stick" graphs showing teen mental health decline might be misleading, and what factors like better screening and diagnostic changes actually explainThe surprising truth about social media research - including why studies showing harm have major flaws and why effect sizes are incredibly smallWhat the international data really shows about teen mental health across countries with similar smartphone adoption ratesWhy family relationships, not screen time, are the strongest predictor of teen wellbeing according to emergency room dataHow control-based approaches like phone bans create sneaking, secrecy, and damaged trust instead of healthier habitsThe real reasons teens turn to phones - and how to address underlying needs for autonomy, connection, and...

Somehow…Monday returned. Welcome back! This morning I am headed into Washington, DC to speak to a group of young professionals about communication and breaking through both the noise and polarization. These are tough times for getting your message across. Ears are closed. Eyes are covered. Impressions are set. How do we break through? I'll share a few brief thoughts. It'll be brief mainly because I want you to check out the video today, my interview about the new Superman movie on Fox Radio with Ben Domenech of The Transom. Part of it can be watched here for Free Subscribers to Geeky Stoics, and if you want more, it's posted here. I know Ben appreciates the views. To watch the whole thing here, like with other videos, you can upgrade to a Paid subscription to support the work we're doing here. The community is growing! On YouTube, we hit 15,000 subscribers yesterday and notched our one millionth view, thanks in part to this video about Friendship vs Eros (Erotic, Romantic love). Getting Your Message AcrossSo, as I was saying….how do we break through? It's all about moral foundations. Once you understand the moral framework your audience is operating under, you can make an effort to appeal to their code and move the needle. In his book, The Righteous Mind: Why Good People Are Divided by Politics and Religion, Jonathan Haidt breaks down the moral universes of conservatives and liberals (a simple left-to-right framing) into six pillars. * Care/harm – concern for the suffering of others* Fairness/cheating – emphasis on justice, rights, and equality* Loyalty/betrayal – allegiance to one's group, family, or nation* Authority/subversion – respect for tradition and legitimate authority* Sanctity/degradation – valuing purity & avoiding the disgusting or profane* Liberty/oppression – a desire to resist domination and tyranny (added later in his framework)Geeky Stoics is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Haidt's widely acclaimed social science research showed that liberals place an outsized value on 1 and 2, Care and Fairness. Their first principles involve displaying concern for others' suffering and caring about matters of fairness. Of course, these streams meet on matters of social justice and civil rights. Conservatives are more balanced in how they see the world. Each pillar gets pretty equal attention, with slightly more attention paid to Loyalty and Authority. They care about Fairness and the factor of equality, but in terms of proportionality to one's contributions. It's funny because conservatives think about this with the collective in mind, which is a framework usually used by liberals. Some outside thoughts on these values from familiar namesC.S. Lewis on his skepticism of Equality: “Do not misunderstand me. I am not in the least belittling the value of this egalitarian fiction, which is our only defence against one another's cruelty—the function of equality is purely protective. It is medicine, not food. By treating the human person as if they were all the same kind of thing, we avoid innumerable evils. But it is not on this that we were made to live. It is idle to say that men are of equal value. If value is taken in a worldly sense—if we mean that all men are equally useful or beautiful or good or entertaining—then it is nonsense. If it means that all are of equal value as immortal souls, then I think it conceals a dangerous error.”* In summary, Lewis believed that Equality was a social necessity, but nothing more than that. He held that hierarchies are in keeping with nature (Authority) and that people become vessels for ideas and values, and ideas and values are ranked. “Equality is medicine, not food”. It treats a kind of ailment, but it's not our reason for being. J.R.R. Tolkien on Freedom: “-the word has been so abused by propaganda that it has ceased to have any value for reason, and become a mere emotional dose for generating heat.”* A short quote and simple. Freedom is nice, but there are higher goods than freedom, such as Sanctity. You'll find liberals and conservatives switch places quickly on Freedom when it suits their competing moral pillars. Once you have this understanding of moral foundations, you can decide whether or not you want to attempt appealing to them for the purpose of making a connection. Last thing, and for this we'll return to Narnia's founder, C.S. Lewis, once more. You have to keep your heart open to the possibility that you're only being served the worst possible impression of your opponents. We know this. TV news and social media algorithms are designed not to spread truth, but to maintain the audience. If Fox News or MSNBC starts going too easy on the other side, people change the channel. They tuned in for a worldview, so subverting that is not in the business model. Know this. You can watch and enjoy the “news” but know it's a form of entertainment, first and foremost. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity that with news, we become disappointed when our opponents are anything less than devils. Once we go down that road, we will start to see ourselves, the world, and God...as devils also. Turns out, believing the best in people is something that extends to how you treat yourself in the mirror. So be gracious. “Suppose one reads a story of filthy atrocities in the paper. Then suppose that something turns up suggesting that the story might not be quite true, or not quite so bad as it was made out. Is one's first feeling, 'Thank God, even they aren't quite so bad as that,' or is it a feeling of disappointment, and even a determination to cling to the first story for the sheer pleasure of thinking your enemies are as bad as possible? If it is the second, then it is, I am afraid, the first step in a process which, if followed to the end, will make us into devils. You see, one is beginning to wish that black was a little blacker. If we give that wish its head, later on we shall wish to see grey as black, and then to see white itself as black. Finally, we shall insist on seeing everything -- God and our friends and ourselves included -- as bad, and not be able to stop doing it: we shall be fixed for ever in a universe of pure hatred.”-C.S. Lewis in ‘Mere Christianity'Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for reading Geeky Stoics. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.geekystoics.com/subscribe

Send us a textIn this episode of Twisted Teachers, we're diving headfirst into two hot-button education topics that have educators and parents buzzing:

This week we continue with our review of the book "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness", by Jonathan Haidt. We explain how boys are adversely affected from being immersed in the online world. We also discuss the dangers of pornography and the lack of real connection that it brings. References: Fight the New Drug Get in in contact with Jeremiah and Selina today for a free coaching consultation! Phone: 208.557.1227 email: info@coreconnection.org Website: Core Connection   Our email: mentalhealthpod21@gmail.com

God didn't design us to live behind glass, protected, isolated, or untouched by risk. That's the danger of our screen-saturated, control-craving world: we can build an “unrisky life” that appears safe but leaves our spirits weak. John draws out a striking metaphor from Jonathan Haidt's The Anxious Generation, where he talks about trees planted in a perfectly controlled environment that grew fast but fell before maturity because they lacked the stress and strain of wind. Without this stress, they never developed the “stress wood” that would make them strong enough to withstand life. You and I need wind too. We were made for challenge.Become New is here to help you grow spiritually one day at a time.

Eric writes in with this question: “We have had issues with seeking to encourage the type of free play that Jonathan Haidt discusses in the Anxious Generation with children AND their parents who have not done the moral formation to know what is appropriate on the playground or in free spaces. When parents haven't done the formative work, those kids seem to struggle the most with free play with others. Would love to know more about how to square that circle of less oversight when kids don't have the “chests” to use Lewis' language of moral character and formation.” For more Axis resources, go to axis.org.

This week I'm considering two spiritual classics from very different traditions: the Bhagavad Gita and the Rule of St. Benedict—well, sort of. Due to a packing mishap and a limited bookstore selection, I ended up reading Benedict's Way, a modern commentary that includes excerpts from the Rule, rather than the Rule itself. Not ideal, but still worthwhile.I also tried a technique I've used before: reading both texts in tandem, switching back and forth every few sections. The hope was to let the texts “talk” to each other. While the Gita turned out to be far more cohesive than I expected, the method still worked; it helped me reflect more deeply and spot some surprising resonances.The Bhagavad Gita, a Hindu sacred text, is a dialog between Krishna and the warrior Arjuna, who is paralyzed by moral doubt on the battlefield. Krishna urges him to act according to his dharma—his essential nature and duty—without attachment to outcomes. It's a powerful reflection on purpose, identity, and spiritual freedom. And despite some troubling implications about who gets access to enlightenment, it's my favorite of all the Eastern texts so far.Meanwhile, Benedict's Way offered a glimpse into monastic—and any kind of communal— life centered on humility, community, and attentiveness to God and neighbor. It's full of practical, humane wisdom, from leadership advice to a firm stance on not grumbling.Together, these texts suggest that joy, discipline, and love of the divine aren't exclusive to one tradition. And both offer something compelling for modern life.This is a year-long reading project! Next week: Augustine's Confessions. (Spoiler: it's so good.)LINKTed Gioia/The Honest Broker's 12-Month Immersive Humanities Course (paywalled!)My Amazon Book List (NOT an affiliate link)Interview with Jonathan Haidt and Jordan PetersonCONNECTTo read more of my writing, visit my Substack - https://www.cheryldrury.substack.com.Follow me on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/cldrury/ LISTENSpotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/5GpySInw1e8IqNQvXow7Lv?si=9ebd5508daa245bdApple Podcasts - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crack-the-book/id1749793321 Captivate - https://crackthebook.captivate.fm

Are we slipping in our intellectual abilities? Have we lost the ability to read, reason, analyze, and more importantly pay attention?  Over the past decade we have seen a deluge of challenges – from Covid and its disruptive effect on education, to the rising use of screens and smart phones to the more recent threat from LLMs and an increasingly proficient set of AI tools that threaten to compete with and ultimately replace humans in almost every dimension. Each of these threats is nuanced and subjective, but we are starting to see patterns emerge in terms of the impact  on our attention span, and ability to think critically and absorb new information. I'm delighted to welcome Carolina Pacheco-Punceles to the podcast. She is a Behavioral Economist, AI Survival Kit Creator, Executive Function Strategist and her Linked In bio states that she is Equipping Humans with the Skills to Think Clearly, Lead Wisely & Thrive in a Disrupted World. We connected over linked In when responding to a post by Jonathan Haidt about the erosion of attention spans and the ability to pay attention, and shared experiences about how we could address this slide.  In this special two-part series we first look at some of the data and recent findings around the erosion of our attention spans and ability to reason and process complex data.Part 2 then will set out various techniques that we have found to try to address this slide. Here in part one we talk about the problem – and discuss this article from the Financial Times that triggered our discussion Have humans passed peak brain power? https://www.ft.com/content/a8016c64-63b7-458b-a371-e0e1c54a13fc  We ask if intelligence is a capacity to understand and question why performance in reasoning and problem solving tests is declining. We look at another article which reveals that the percentage of fourth graders who score below basic in reading skills on the National Assessment of Educational Progress tests is the highest it has been in 20 years. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/10/opinion/education-smart-thinking-reading-tariffs.html?smid=li-share Our discussion continues into the general slide in literacy in cognitive function and set up for Part 2, when we discuss some of the potential ways to address this.

This week we continue our review of the book "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness", by Jonathan Haidt. We break down why cell phones and social media are so dangerous to young teens especially. We also talk about why social media is more harmful to girls. Get in in contact with Jeremiah and Selina today for a free coaching consultation! Phone: 208.557.1227 email: info@coreconnection.org Website: Core Connection   Our email: mentalhealthpod21@gmail.com

“Where fathers go, families go.”  Kids don't just need screen limits—they need real-world play to grow strong minds and healthy confidence. Without play, they miss out on building imagination, solving problems, and learning how to work with others. Dads play a big role in bringing that back.  Shannon Coulter shares her story of becoming a stepmom to three kids who didn't know how to play. That moment set her on a mission to figure out what was happening to kids—and why smartphones were at the center of it. She explains how screens are rewiring children's brains and how play can rebuild what's been lost. Her message is clear: it's time for dads to lead their families away from screens and back to life.  Shannon Coulter is a stepmom, parenting advocate, and founder of Planet FASA—a tool to help parents get their kids off screens and playing again. She's building an app that gives simple, fun activity ideas and shows how play can build strong kids and stronger families.  Learn more & connect:  Shannon Coulter's website: https://sscoulter.com  Also in this episode:  Planet FASA: [No URL confirmed]  The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina: https://www.citadel.edu  The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt – [not confirmed link]  You're invited to come to a Sovereign Circle meeting to experience it for yourself. To learn more, go to https://www.sovereignman.ca/. While you're there, check out the Battle Ready program and check out the store for Sovereign Man t-shirts, hats, and books. 

Watch, Read, Listen, and EAT with us!Margery: Watch: Stick on Apple+Read: The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and The Spy Who Came In From the Cold by John Le CarreListen: American Recordings by Truman Sinclair on Spotify Eat: Sesame Almonds by Trader Joe's Elizabeth: Watch: Clarkson's Farm Season 4 on Amazon Prime Read: Unsheltered: A Novel by Barbara Kingsolver Listen: Big Little Lies Soundtrack Eat: Microgreens from her InstaFarm Connect with Us!Our Website: https://www.besttothenest.com/On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/besttothenest?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Our Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1088997968155776/See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Send us a textIn this episode, we take a journey from the Prime Meridian to the emotional equator, where gratitude, fragility, and fierce compassion intersect. Drawing inspiration from Emile Durkheim, Jonathan Haidt, Marshall Rosenberg and Dr. Bernie Siegel, we explore how to stay grounded and emotionally regulated in high-stakes conversations without losing yourself, or the other person.We dive into the psychology behind emotional contagion and vicarious trauma, and how your presence, not your prescription, is often the most powerful gift you can offer. You'll learn why advice often fails, how to recognize when you're stealing someone's power instead of supporting them, and what "naming it to tame it" really looks like in a real conversation.We'll unpack the difference between sympathy and empathy, explore theory of mind, and show how non-violent communication and empathetic reflection can transform not only how we communicate, but how we believe in the people we're speaking to.Because in a world full of noise, the most radical thing you can do… is listen.Visit us at:www.theselfhelpantidote.com

This is the third in our series of episodes on Jonathan Haidt's book The Anxious Generation. In Part 1, we looked at the evidence for the teen 'mental health crisis.' In Part 2, we reviewed the evidence for whether social media is causing the so-called 'teen mental health crisis. In this episode, we begin looking at what to do about the effects of phones on kids - starting with school cell phone bans. Phone bans are spreading like wildfire across America, with 21 states either studying or already enforcing restrictions, up from none just a few years ago. But before you advocate for - or against - a ban at your child's school, you need to hear what the research actually reveals. This episode examines real studies from Denmark, England, and Hungary, plus the eye-opening results from schools using those tamper-proof Yonder pouches that promise to solve everything. You'll discover why the "golden age" of unsupervised childhood play that experts want us to return to wasn't actually golden for most kids. More importantly, you'll learn what's really driving students to their phones: unmet needs for choice, agency, and genuine connection. Through a fascinating deep-dive into one teacher's blog post about his school's phone ban, you'll see how current approaches may be missing the point entirely, and what students themselves say would actually help them engage more in school. Which states are banning cell phones in schools? 21 states are currently studying or have already enforced cell phone bans, including Florida, Louisiana, Virginia, Indiana, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and New York. Are cell phone bans in schools effective for improving academic performance? Research shows mixed results with only tiny improvements on test scores, and most studies don't control for other factors that could explain the changes. Does banning phones in school improve students' mental health? Studies from multiple countries found no significant improvements in student anxiety, depression, or overall wellbeing from cell phone restrictions. Are cell phone bans in schools a good idea? The evidence suggests that school cell phone bans address symptoms rather than root causes - students turn to phones because their needs for autonomy and connection aren't being met. What happens when schools try to enforce cell phones being banned in schools? Students find creative workarounds: stabbing through security pouches, buying unlock magnets, bringing decoy phones, and creating underground phone-sharing economies. Why do students want their phones during school hours? Research shows students use phones to meet basic psychological needs for choice, agency, and genuine connection that traditional classrooms often fail to provide. What you'll learn in this episode The real data on school cell phone ban effectiveness - examining studies from Denmark, England, Hungary, and the U.S. that reveal surprising results about academic and mental health outcomes Which states are leading the cell phone ban movement - a breakdown of the 21 states implementing or studying restrictions, from Florida's pioneering ban to New York's upcoming policies...

In Part 1 of this mini-series looking at Jonathan Haidt's book The Anxious Generation, we discovered that the teen mental health crisis might not be as dramatic as The Anxious Generation claims - and that changes in diagnosis and coding could be inflating the numbers. But even if we accept that teens' struggles have increased somewhat, the next crucial question is: what's actually causing the change?Jonathan Haidt is adamant that social media causes depression and anxiety in teenagers. He claims that "dozens of experiments" prove social media use is a CAUSE, not just a correlate, of mental health problems. But when you dig into the studies, as we do in this episode, we'll see that the 'causal' data is nowhere near as strong as Haidt claims.We'll examine the experimental evidence behind social media and teen mental health claims, reveal why leading researchers compare social media effects on teens to eating potatoes, and uncover what factors actually explain 99% of youth mental health outcomes. Because if we're going to spend time and energy helping our kids, we want to make sure we're spending it doing things that will actually help.Questions This Episode Will AnswerDoes social media really cause teen depression and anxiety? Research shows correlation, not proven causation, with social media effects on teens explaining less than 1% of wellbeing, similar to the effect of eating potatoes. (Some researchers argue that this is still important enough to pay attention to - the episode explores why.)Why do I keep hearing that social media is harmful if the research is weak? Many (but not all) social media studies find some evidence of harm, but when you look at the methodology this isn't surprising - researchers do things like sending participants daily reminders that "limiting social media is good for you," and then asking them how much social media they've consumed and how they feel. It's hard to draw strong conclusions from this data!How can different studies on social media show opposite results? Researchers studying teen social media use can get completely different results from the same data depending on how they choose to analyze it. The episode looks at those choices and what they mean for understanding whether social media causes kids' depression and anxiety.Is limiting my teen's social media use actually going to help them? Current evidence suggests that some kids who use social media a lot are vulnerable to experiencing depression and anxiety, and limiting their use specifically may be protective. There is little evidence to support the idea that blanket bans on kids' social media/smart phone usage will result in dramatic improvements in youth mental health, and focusing on issues that are more clearly connected to mental health would likely have a greater positive impact.What You'll Learn in This Episode How most social media research creates results that don't tell us what we want to know (but then reports the results as if they do) How the same teen mental health data can be analyzed to support opposite conclusions about social media effects on teens What family relationships, academic pressure, and economic stress reveal about the real drivers of youth mental health issues How social media and teen mental health correlations explain the same amount of variance as seemingly irrelevant factors like potato consumption How researcher bias and study...

In his book “The Anxious Generation,” social psychologist Jonathan Haidt offers a series of recommendations for how to stop the epidemic of youth mental health issues. One of those recommendations is straightforward and blunt: no smartphones in schools. Fortuneately there's a growing movement among schools, parents, and even some students themselves to make this necessary move. I've had conversations with administrators at the Delaware County Christian School just outside of Philadelphia regarding the decision they've made to take phones out of students' hands for the duration of the school day. The move by DCCS was made thoughtfully, with reflection on cultural realities along with practical and theological reasons for establishing a phone-free school policy. As expected, this new policy has been widely applauded in the school community, and resulted in several positive outcomes. Listen in all this week as we talk about why we need phone-free schools.

In this exceptionally vibrant episode of The Build a Vibrant Culture Podcast, Nicole Greer sits down with Taylor Scott—author, keynote speaker, and former Disney leader—to explore how hospitality principles can transform leadership. With decades of experience at Disney, Gaylord, and The Cosmopolitan, Taylor shares practical wisdom from his bestselling book, Lead with Hospitality, and previews his upcoming leadership fable, Give Hospitality. Together, they discuss the emotional power of connection, the practice of empathy, and the critical difference between doing and leading. Taylor's insights are a masterclass in how to make people feel seen, valued, and inspired at work. You'll learn:Why the best leaders think like hospitality prosHow to build emotional connection before offering feedbackWhy empathy is a learnable skill every leader needsHow kindness, time, and significance create a contagious cultureHighlights from this episode:[00:05:02] – Why emotional connection—not instruction—is the true start of leadership.[00:12:00] – Taylor explains how emotional resonance drives behavior.[00:22:47] – Why leaders can (and should) learn how to practice empathy & create connection.[00:30:33] – Unpacking Taylor's LEAD acronym, a practical framework for servant leadership from the front lines of hospitality.[00:38:14] – Taylor reveals the true power of encouragement, significance, and being "seen" at work.Taylor's book: https://a.co/d/eUZYFmmConnect with Taylor:Taylor's website: https://leadwithhospitality.com/Email: taylor@leadwithhospitality.comLinked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tscott1502/IG: https://www.instagram.com/tscott1502Also mentioned in this episode:Authors Chip Heath & Dan Heath: https://heathbrothers.com/Switch by Chip Heath & Dan Heath: https://a.co/d/d0Hh8cxThe Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt: https://a.co/d/bM2UA13The Fred Factor by Mark Sanborn: https://a.co/d/abZnJ3DWe are grateful to T Scott for bringing his passion for leadership and workplace culture to the Build a Vibrant Culture podcast! Listen today at vibrantculture.com/podcast or your favorite podcast app!

Heidi Budeau, Director of Excellence in Specially Designed Services in Jamestown, ND, joins Amy & JJ to talk about the book, "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of the Foundation Worldview Podcast, Elizabeth Urbanowicz explores why rates of anxiety and mental illness are rising among children and teens. Drawing insights from The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, she uncovers how overprotection in the real world is pushing kids into "defend mode"—a posture of fear rather than healthy discovery. Elizabeth compares these findings to the biblical worldview, revealing that when we remove all risk, we hinder our children from fulfilling their God-given calling to exercise dominion over creation. Tune in to learn how to shift your parenting from overprotecting to equipping.

Are we really facing an unprecedented mental health crisis in America, or have we been misreading the data? As parents everywhere grapple with The Anxious Generation's claims that smartphones are rewiring our children's brains, this episode takes a closer look at what the research actually shows about youth mental health trends. If you've read the book, you've seen those alarming hockey-stick graphs showing dramatic increases in teen depression and anxiety in teenagers. But what if those "surges" aren't quite what they seem? What if changes in how we diagnose and track mental health conditions are inflating the crisis? And what happens when a community with everything that should protect kids - tight social bonds, involved parents, shared values - still experiences devastating teen suicide rates? This deep-dive analysis examines the evidence behind Gen Z mental health claims, investigates whether youth depression statistics show the dramatic surge described in The Anxious Generation, and asks the crucial question: are we fighting the right battle when it comes to protecting our children's wellbeing? Questions This Episode Will Answer Is there really a mental health crisis in America? While youth mental health challenges are real, the "crisis" narrative may be overblown due to changes in diagnostic practices and data collection methods since 2010. When did the mental health crisis start according to The Anxious Generation? Haidt claims the crisis began between 2010-2015 with smartphone adoption, but the data shows more complex patterns that predate this timeline. What are the signs of youth depression and anxiety that parents should watch for? The episode explores how reported signs of youth depression and anxiety have increased, but examines whether this reflects actual increases or better identification and reporting. We look at the classic signs of depression and anxiety in teens, as well as what to look for in teens who might 'seem fine.' How many teens have mental health issues compared to previous generations? Teen mental health statistics show increases, but when examined closely, many changes are smaller than dramatic graphs suggest. What causes anxiety in teenagers beyond social media? Research shows that other factors may explain larger portions of youth mental health struggles than screen time. What You'll Learn in This Episode How changes in diagnostic criteria and healthcare access may have inflated mental health crisis statistics since 2015 Why teen suicide rates show different patterns than depression rates, and what this means for understanding youth struggles The real story behind those alarming youth depression statistics and why context matters when interpreting data How academic pressure in high-achieving communities can drive teen mental health problems even without social media Why focusing solely on anxiety in teenagers related to screens might miss bigger factors affecting Gen Z mental health What signs of youth depression actually tell us about the scope and causes of teen mental health challenges How different communities experience and conceptualize mental health struggles in ways that challenge universal assumptions Why the timeline of the supposed mental health crisis in the U.S. and elsewhere doesn't align with smartphone adoption as clearly as The Anxious Generation claims Dr. Jonathan Haidt's Book The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness (Affiliate link) Jump to highlights 00:53 Introduction...

Are Your Teen's Digital Habits Fueling Their Anxiety? In this eye-opening episode of Whinypaluza, host Rebecca Greene speaks with licensed therapist Donna Moss about the rising epidemic of teen anxiety in today's digital world. With 30 years of experience helping adolescents navigate life's challenges, Donna provides invaluable insights into creating balance and supporting mental health in an increasingly complex world for young people. Key Takeaways → Establishing a daily structure is essential for teens' mental health - having consistent routines, hobbies, and adequate sleep helps combat anxiety by providing stability and purpose. → The combination of ubiquitous smartphones (starting around 2010-2011) and fear-based parenting has created what psychologist Jonathan Haidt calls "the anxious generation" - teens who spend more time on devices and less time in real-world social interactions. → Parents need to find the middle ground between being too controlling and too detached. They should listen more than they speak and create boundaries around technology use, allowing space for growth and independence. → Physical well-being significantly impacts mental health - ensure teens are getting enough sleep, eating properly, exercising regularly, and visiting their doctor for check-ups (medical issues can sometimes manifest as anxiety or depression). → Teens engage in black-and-white thinking well into their twenties - help them recognize this pattern and guide them toward seeing nuance and "gray areas" in situations that trigger anxiety. Quotes from Donna Moss "You need to have a plan, a schedule, a hobby, a thing every single day. Otherwise, you lose your motivation. If you avoid everything, then you don't learn anything, you don't grow." "Always be curious, not judgmental. Tell them, 'You could tell me anything. It's not gonna shock me, it's okay. I'm not gonna tattle tale,' and you gotta build that trust." Connect with Donna Moss Website: donnacmoss.com Continuing education: Donna offers a two-hour course on her website that provides credits for social workers and mental health professionals in New York Therapy services: Currently accepting new clients in New York and Vermont Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Social psychologist and best-selling author Jonathan Haidt (“The Anxious Generation”) sits down with Michelle and Craig to talk about the damage that smartphones and social media are doing to our kids. Jon lays out the four ways you can tackle the problems kids are having with their phones, create a play-based childhood, and resist giving kids access to social media before they're ready. Plus, this week's listener asks how to deal with screen addiction.Have a question you want answered? Write to us at imopod.com.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

I'm joined by Raffi Grinberg who is the Co-Founder of The Constructive Dialogue Institute (with Jonathan Haidt), an educator who created the wildly popular Adulting 101 course at Boston College, and an author who wrote How To Be A Grown Up, which was recommended by Oprah. We discuss juicy hacks on how to excel in life, in your career, in your relationships, with money, and so much more. These tips and advice will change how you view yourself and the world in this super inspiring conversation. Raffi also shares the most comforting perspective I've heard if you're feeling like the world today is getting more chaotic and scary. In this episode, we get into: Building a meaningful life Relationship tips An easy way to earn more money Finding your best career How to talk to people with different political views Why you shouldn't be afraid of AI Networking hacks Navigating a new dynamic with your parents How to love rejection For more from Raffi Grinberg, find him on substack at raffigrinberg.substack.com/. Check out Raffi Grinberg's popular book, How to Be a Grown Up: The 14 Essential Skills You Didn't Know You Needed (Until Just Now)  Ready to uplevel every part of your life? Order Liz's book 100 Ways to Change Your Life: The Science of Leveling Up Health, Happiness, Relationships & Success now!  Connect with Liz on Instagram @lizmoody or online at www.lizmoody.com. Subscribe to the substack by visiting https://lizmoody.substack.com/welcome. To join The Liz Moody Podcast Club Facebook group, go to www.facebook.com/groups/thelizmoodypodcast. This episode is brought to you completely free thanks to the following podcast sponsors: AG1: visit DrinkAG1.com/LizMoody and get your FREE year supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs today. LMNT: go to DrinkLMNT.com/LizMoody to get a free LMNT sample pack with any order. The Liz Moody Podcast cover art by Zack. The Liz Moody Podcast music by Alex Ruimy. Formerly the Healthier Together Podcast.  This podcast and website represents the opinions of Liz Moody and her guests to the show. The content here should not be taken as medical advice. The content here is for information purposes only, and because each person is so unique, please consult your healthcare professional for any medical questions. The Liz Moody Podcast Episode 341. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: reading at the beach and sisterly bookish tattoos Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: all the ins and outs of morning reading The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) .  .  .  .  4:12 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 4:35 - God of the Woods by Liz Moore 5:23 - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver 6:31 - Literally A Bookshop 1:37 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 7:02 - Braving the Wilderness by Brene Brown 9:45 - Our Current Reads 10:03 - Ascension by Nicholas Binge (Meredith) 13:55 - Dark Matter by Blake Crouch 13:56 - Recursion by Blake Crouch 14:06 - The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier 15:20 - Love and Saffron by Kim Fay 15:38 - Great Big Beautiful Life by Emily Henry (Kaytee) 17:44 - The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid 17:48 - The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield  19:49 - Hearts Strange and Dreadful by Tim McGregor (Meredith) 20:59 - 101 Horror Books to Read Before You're Murdered by Sadie Hartmann 26:11 - Stolen Focus by Johann Hari (Kaytee) 26:14 - The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt 26:17 - CR Season 7: Episode 40 31:40 - The Correspondent by Virginia Evans (Meredith) 37:20 - Amari and the Despicable Wonders by B.B. Alston (Kaytee) 41:58 - All About Morning Reading 43:25 - The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron 50:48 - Jobs to be Done by David Farber 50:59 - The Six Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni 55:30 - Meet Us At The Fountain 57:38 - If you are interested in adding to your bookish life, do it in the form of a book club. (Meredith) 59:34 - I co-sign Meredith's wish this week! (Kaytee) Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. June's IPL is brought to us by one of our anchor stores, Schuler Books in Michigan Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.  All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

In this urgent conversation, Jonathan Haidt and Jordan Peterson dissect the silent catastrophe facing Gen Z—spiraling anxiety, attention collapse, and social isolation—all amplified by addictive tech. They explore the psychological and spiritual fallout of algorithm-optimized platforms, the gendered impact on boys and girls, and what it means to raise children in a virtualized world. Data-driven but deeply human, this is essential viewing for anyone wondering what the hell happened after 2012—and how to fix it. This episode was filmed on June 9th, 2025  | Links | For Jonathan Haidt: On X https://x.com/jonhaidt?lang=en On Substack https://substack.com/@jonathanhaidt On YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@JonathanHaidt1/videos Website https://jonathanhaidt.com/ Read “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness” https://a.co/d/04yfM36 

Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt joins Harry Litman to discuss his bestselling book "The Anxious Generation" and how the shift to smartphone-based childhood around 2012 triggered a mental health crisis—especially among liberal girls. Haidt explains his moral foundations theory, why Americans can't agree on basic facts anymore, and how social media created a "curse of Babel" that's undermining both democracy and child development. Plus: his four practical norms for rolling back the phone-based childhood and why we may be accidentally training kids for authoritarianism. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Mary are discussing: Bookish Moments: local bookish get togethers and summer reading Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: why middle grade and YA are perfect reads for summer The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) .  .  .  .  1:54 - SEND IN YOUR LISTENER PRESSES!! *Send us a voice memo with your name, where you're from, the title and author of the book you are pressing, a little about it and why you love it! Send your press to our email address currentlyreadingpodcast @ gmail . com by June 20th 4:12 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 4:35 - God of the Woods by Liz Moore 5:23 - Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver 6:31 - Literally A Bookshop 7:58 - Our Current Reads 8:03 - Greenteeth by Molly O'Neill (Mary) 10:36 - Ace of Spades by Faridah Abike-Imiyide (Kaytee) 11:41 - A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson  12:10 - Where Sleeping Girls Lie by Faridah Abike-Imiyide 14:17 - Roland Rogers Isn't Dead Yet by Samantha Allen (Mary) 16:16 - Patricia Wants to Cuddle by Samantha Allen 16:36 - Real Queer America by Samantha Allen 17:06 - Deaf Utopia by Nyle DiMarco (Kaytee)  22:34 - The Scholar and the Last Faerie Door by HG Parry (Mary) 25:03 - The Magician's Daughter by HG Parry  25:13 - Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross 25:43 - Twenty-Four Seconds From Now… by Jason Reynolds (Kaytee) 29:55 - Summer Is For The Youths 34:58 - The Eye of the World by Robert Jordan 39:07 - The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles) by Amy Spalding 39:12 - Fat Chance Charlie Vega by Crystal Maldonado 41:03 - A Wish in the Dark by Christina Soontornvat 41:30 - Swim Team by Johnnie Christmas 41:46 - Starfish by Lisa Fipps 43:12 - The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill  43:13 - The Ogress and the Orphans by Kelly Barnhill 44:56 - Scythe by Neal Shusterman 44:58 - A Curse So Dark and Lonely by Brigid Kemmerer 47:24 - The Wretched Waterpark by Kiersten White (Sinister Summer #1) 47:28 - The Pumpkin Princess and the Forever Night by Steven Banbury 49:28 - The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton (young readers version) 49:39 - Stamped by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds 49:44 - Stamped from the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi 50:15 - Punching the Air by Ibi Zaboi and Yusef Salaam 50:28 - The Black Flamingo by Dean Atta 51:04 - Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham 51:45 - The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science by Kate McKinnon 53:02 - Meet Us At The Fountain 53:12 - I wish that everyone would add a middle grade or YA read to their TBR this summer. (Mary) 54:21 - I wish for a bookish road map. (Kaytee) 55:05 - The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt 55:19 - After This by Claire Bidwell Smith (amazon link) 55:41 - Infused by Henrietta Lovell   Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. June's IPL is brought to us by one of our anchor stores, Schuler Books in Michigan Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business.  All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!

“We have overprotected kids in the real world and underprotected them online.” Jonathan Haidt believes we have bubble-wrapped childhood: cut back on recess, banned kids from walking to school alone, and filled every spare moment with structured, adult-led activities. But at the same time, we gave kids 24/7 access to social media, smartphones, and one-to-one devices—with very little guidance or boundaries. And now, we're seeing the results. Rising anxiety. Fragmented attention. Lost confidence. Social disconnection. This quote about overprotecting in the real world and underprotecting onloine hit me hard, because it puts into words what so many teachers have felt for years but couldn't always articulate. If our kids seem less resilient, less focused, less ready to learn... maybe it's not them. Maybe it's the environment we've created. The good news? We can change that. We ARE changing it. More schools are rethinking tech. More parents are drawing tech boundaries. More teachers are advocating for what kids truly need. We can bring balance back. Today's guest is Jonathan Haidt—a social psychologist, professor at NYU's Stern School of Business, and author of several influential books, including most recently, The Anxious Generation. You may have seen Jonathan in recent interviews talking about how smartphones and social media are impacting kids' mental health. But I wanted to bring him on the show to go deeper—specifically from an educator's point of view. This conversation builds on some of the past episodes I've done around screen time, attention spans, and how tech is changing the way kids show up in the classroom. It's a true back-and-forth conversation where we learn from each other, and I think it's going to validate so much of what you've already sensed as a teacher.  Get the shareable article/transcript for this episode here. Later this summer, I'll share a different perspective from someone who sees personalized AI tutoring as the future of school, and I have to admit, I find that vision just as compelling as what Haidt has shared. Stay tuned!

What happens when you strip your smartphone of its “smart”? In this Doctor’s Desk deep dive, Justin and Kylie unpack a groundbreaking new study showing what really happens when people block mobile internet on their smartphones. The results? Better focus. Improved wellbeing. Healthier screen habits. Drawing on the science, personal experience, and insights from Jonathan Haidt and game designers themselves, this episode offers a wake-up call—and a way forward—for families navigating digital overload. KEY POINTS First-of-its-kind research: A randomised controlled trial published in PNAS Nexus found that blocking mobile internet improved sustained attention, mental health, and subjective wellbeing. 91% improved: Nearly all participants in the study saw measurable gains by turning off mobile internet for just two weeks. How behaviour changes: People spent more time socialising, exercising, and being in nature—activities that are strongly linked to happiness and resilience. Jonathan Haidt’s insight: The greatest harm of screens isn’t just anxiety—it’s the destruction of attention and the erosion of childhood development. Addiction by design: Game developers and social media engineers want you and your kids to be addicted. Their business depends on it. Not all screen time is equal: Watching a movie with someone? Often fine. Scrolling alone on a touchscreen? Psychologically harmful. QUOTE OF THE EPISODE “We are prisoners to our devices—and the smartest people on earth designed it that way.” RESOURCES MENTIONED Study: Blocking Mobile Internet on Smartphones Improves Sustained Attention, Mental Health, and Subjective Wellbeing (PNAS Nexus) The Anxious Generation – Jonathan Haidt The Parenting Revolution – Dr Justin Coulson happyfamilies.com.au The Light Phone 3 (Justin’s personal attempt at going “dumb”) ACTION STEPS FOR PARENTS Block Internet Access on Phones Use settings or third-party tools to disable mobile internet on smartphones, especially for kids. Switch to “Dumb Mode” Calls and texts only. Move social and entertainment use to desktop computers to limit impulsive use. Model Change Yourself Consider your own phone use. Try a one-week mobile internet detox and note how your mind and mood change. Prioritise Real-World Activity Encourage (and plan for) more time in nature, exercise, and in-person connection. Educate & Equip Talk to your kids about how screens are designed. Teach them to spot manipulation—and reclaim their attention. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.