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A review by _aceebd
The Anxious Generation: How The Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
3.0
Expectation vs Reality:
I thought The Anxious Generation would be preachy—very “boomer uncle telling you how to live your life”—and yes, it kind of is. But to be fair, it’s backed by research and stats, so it’s not just opinion or fear-mongering.
Mental health talk felt... oversimplified:
Haidt tends to lump ADHD, Tourette’s, and gender dysphoria into the idea of “social contagions,” which felt too reductive and dismissive. Self-diagnosis isn’t always harmful—it can actually be the first step in getting real help. Awareness doesn’t automatically mean people are chasing trends. And the mental health crisis isn’t just caused by phones; we’re surviving, not living, and there are so many global stressors beyond the internet.
But yes, tech made things worse:
Social media has definitely played a big role in declining mental health. Our phones affect how we focus, how we relate to others, and even how we see ourselves.
Chapter 6 = Ick:
This chapter really rubbed me the wrong way. It felt like girls were being blamed for “spreading” depression just because we tend to express our emotions more openly. And the section on gender dysphoria came across as incredibly dismissive.
Parenting advice = too idealistic:
The suggestion to ban screens until age 14 sounds great in theory, but it’s just not realistic. I’d rather teach kids healthy tech habits and have open conversations about internet addiction than take an all-or-nothing approach. Regulating access, encouraging outdoor play, and promoting real-life hobbies make more sense. Some parts also felt a bit too parent-blaming. Big tech companies should be held accountable too.
Chapter 8 on religion:
I was skeptical at first, but I appreciated that it leaned more into spirituality and philosophy rather than pushing any specific belief system.
In the end, this book sparked a lot of reflection. I didn’t agree with everything, but it opened up good conversations—especially between me (a millennial) and my husband (a Gen Z). I liked that Haidt acknowledged parenting today is hard and that he might be wrong about some things. At least he’s self-aware.
Verdict:
This is probably the most annotated book I’ve read so far. It’s not perfect, but it really made me think. A solid read for parents, educators, or anyone re-evaluating their relationship with tech—just stay critical.
I thought The Anxious Generation would be preachy—very “boomer uncle telling you how to live your life”—and yes, it kind of is. But to be fair, it’s backed by research and stats, so it’s not just opinion or fear-mongering.
Mental health talk felt... oversimplified:
Haidt tends to lump ADHD, Tourette’s, and gender dysphoria into the idea of “social contagions,” which felt too reductive and dismissive. Self-diagnosis isn’t always harmful—it can actually be the first step in getting real help. Awareness doesn’t automatically mean people are chasing trends. And the mental health crisis isn’t just caused by phones; we’re surviving, not living, and there are so many global stressors beyond the internet.
But yes, tech made things worse:
Social media has definitely played a big role in declining mental health. Our phones affect how we focus, how we relate to others, and even how we see ourselves.
Chapter 6 = Ick:
This chapter really rubbed me the wrong way. It felt like girls were being blamed for “spreading” depression just because we tend to express our emotions more openly. And the section on gender dysphoria came across as incredibly dismissive.
Parenting advice = too idealistic:
The suggestion to ban screens until age 14 sounds great in theory, but it’s just not realistic. I’d rather teach kids healthy tech habits and have open conversations about internet addiction than take an all-or-nothing approach. Regulating access, encouraging outdoor play, and promoting real-life hobbies make more sense. Some parts also felt a bit too parent-blaming. Big tech companies should be held accountable too.
Chapter 8 on religion:
I was skeptical at first, but I appreciated that it leaned more into spirituality and philosophy rather than pushing any specific belief system.
In the end, this book sparked a lot of reflection. I didn’t agree with everything, but it opened up good conversations—especially between me (a millennial) and my husband (a Gen Z). I liked that Haidt acknowledged parenting today is hard and that he might be wrong about some things. At least he’s self-aware.
Verdict:
This is probably the most annotated book I’ve read so far. It’s not perfect, but it really made me think. A solid read for parents, educators, or anyone re-evaluating their relationship with tech—just stay critical.