The Anxious Generation

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Book Review:



Jonathan Haidt’s “The Anxious Generation” is one of the important books of our time. It has garnered a spot on the New York Times best seller list for over a year and was a Wall Street Journal Top Ten Book of 2024. A copy of it was sent by Arkansas Governor S.H. Sanders to the governors of every US state and territory to try and rally them around the issues the book discusses. High level endorsements and academic criticism abound. It is one of those rare nonfiction titles that people know about, even if they haven’t read it (yet).

So, why all the fuss? In a nutshell, “The Anxious Generation” attempts to explain why kids raised with an ever-increasing dependance on smartphones are experiencing an alarming rise of mental health disorders (depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation, self-harming, suicide, etc.), and what we can and should do about it.

          “An urgent and provocative read on why so many kids are not okay – and how to course correct. Jonathan Haidt makes a powerful case that the shift from play-based to phone-based childhoods is wreaking havoc on mental health and social development… this book will challenge you to rethink how we nurture the potential of our kids and prepare them for the world.” (Adam Grant)

Heavy on research and light on amusing anecdotes, this is a serious book from a serious social psychologist at the top of his field. He does a masterful job of tackling a problem that is crippling children’s development around the globe and offering actionable solutions for a brighter future.

Recommendation: Emily Oster says it best. “This is a crucial read for parents of children of elementary school age and beyond, who face the rapidly changing landscape of childhood.”


Mr. Wedel


Author – Jonathan Haidt

Publishing – Penguin Press, New York, 2024

Genre – Nonfiction

Pages - 385

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