This was honestly such an interesting read for me. As a guidance counselor in a high school setting, I related so much to what Jonathan Haidt writes about Gen Z. More than ever, they are ridden with anxiety and depression. Not only that, but many of them don’t even know how to act in social settings. I used to think it was because of the COVID pandemic. Now I’m wondering if it has more to do with technology and social media. 

This exploration of a novel details dozens of studies linked to the problems early exposure to social media and technology can have on a child’s mental wellbeing. One of my friends even told me the other day that her coworkers EIGHT YEAR OLD daughter was having body image issues. How is that even possible? How have we become so engrossed in technology that we don’t see what it’s doing to the next generation??

Every single time Jonathan Haidt would list more research or debate on how social media, online gaming, explicit video sites, and other online entities cause harm to our kids, I became a little more convinced that there was no other explanation for why this generation is so ridden with mental health issues. There were times when he talked about how social media sites EXPLOIT our children by using algorithms that cause them to become addicted to their platforms. That is absolutely insane to me. 

There really is so much I could say about this novel, but I don’t want to rant too much. I’ve always said that I hate how negative and unethical so much of social media is. Why do we promote these platforms? Why do we continuously allow people to spread hate behind keyboards and slowly creep into our children’s minds to make them think they aren’t good enough? I hate it. 

Overall, this book was eye-opening and so so important and powerful. I would recommend that all parents read this and take into serious consideration the things we allow our children to take part in. Do they really need social media at ten years old (or even younger at this point)? I don’t think so. The Anxious Generation only highlighted what I’ve guessed at for a long time and I’m so glad to finally be recognizing all the harm done to our children due to social media and other technology. Will I get rid of technology all together? Absolutely not, but now I’ll be more aware of how I use it and how it ultimately uses me. 

Source: Audiobook from Audible

(P.S. You can read this book for free by signing up for a free trial of Everand, which gives you three free audiobooks or ebooks of your choice!)