The Anxious Generation with Jonathan Haidt | What Now? with Trevor Noah Podcast
The Anxious Generation with Jonathan Haidt | What Now? with Trevor Noah Podcast
Jonathan Haidt, noted social psychologist and author of The Anxious Generation, sits down with us to discuss how smartphones and social media are harming Gen Z – and really all of us. He encourages claiming back third spaces, championing anti-fragility, and … maybe letting your kid go take a walk.
00:00 Cold Opening Intro
01:05…
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I think jail and lawsuits is the answer. No one wants to go to jail or be sued
Bro I really really enjoy your podcast! I am a mother from Ethiopia ! I played the way you played on the streets! I let my children play outside after school! No electronics even for their friends! Thank you so much. I’m not alone in my opinion.
Free place is what we need to reclaim ! ❤
what were good third spaces in the past?
Very interesting topics.
Over parenting is also born out of our generation getting molested and abused by adults and older kids.
And sure it is probably over correcting for it, but it was so rampant, when we became parents, we had to find a way to prevent it.
It’s so painful to listen to Christiana, because it’s clear that she is part of the generation of parents who just don’t get it even while they are educating themselves about it. If you want to have a child who doesn’t follow the crowd, you have to be a parent who doesn’t follow the crowd. If your child wants to play alone at school, celebrate their independence. If your child is old enough, don’t coordinate technology limits with other parents, inspire your child to start the movement. But you have to be strong. You have to be strong enough to trust your child and the world. You have to be strong enough to not care what other parents think. You have to be strong enough to convey strength to your child when peers think they’re weirdos for having unprogrammed afternoons of daydreaming or don’t have the same tech their friends are carrying. And you have to be strong when your children (temporarily, I promise) resent you for it.
I think families having less children have an impact on how children learn either
I really enjoy your guests … BUT TREVOR YOU INTERRUPT THEM TOO OFTEN. After the show, I hear your voice but not your guests.
Especially here in America, there has been a concerted effort to keep the division between humanity; have/have not, white collar/blue collar, white/everyone else. One of the ways it’s targeting the children is by preventing them from interacting through “white flight” in our neighborhoods.
I’ve listened to everything Haidt has done and I still never get tired of him
Anybody else have their parent say "Nobody is gonna kidnap you, and if they do, they'll drop you back off in 20 minutes"? 😂
13:50 damnnnn
It seems that the kids have a shared reality which includes this technology. They will figure a code and culture by which to interact. Our nature as humans is an adaptable one. This problem will eventually correct itself scary as it seems. The challenge is primarily an inter generational one. Perhaps what you guys are suggesting is a social and dare I say biological devolution in our species. Hand strength, for instance(compared to our grandparents and great grandparents): have older folk noticed the slender fingers of gen-z ers?
I'm so glad to hear Jonathan talk about that shift in Higher Education. As someone who works in pastoral support in a university, I saw this shift myself. Students unable to cope with the pressures of assessment, unable to manage deadlines, unable to answer a question in font of peers in class…it feels like we're at a point where students are leaving Uni without the basic set of skills a graduate should have – both soft and hard skills. I find it really troubling.
I find this interesting. I am a parent that swoops in, but to set an example on how to navigate problems. I don’t do it for them, but I grew up handling things on my own as a child, not realizing I was growing up being a problem to other kids meanwhile I felt justified in my actions. I think it’s great exposure as a parent to watch and observe your kids, demonstrate appropriate actions, while also allowing them to make their own choices in order to learn from the results as well. Another thing too is, I was a lonely child and hated feeling alone and needed to constantly be around people even if they weren’t aligned with me. I think it’s great to expose children to friendships but also alone time. Now as an adult, I realized I was taught that I needed to have a bunch of friends and I needed to be celebrated on accomplishments, birthdays, etc. when in reality I needed to be taught to not worry about if people celebrate me or not, or what people think of me. When I became comfortable with myself, I started healing myself. I started attracting healthier relationships, happier environments. There’s several aspects to consider here. I appreciate this discussion ♥️
“Raise 'Em Right”
See, the Word says in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” That’s not just a verse — that’s a blueprint.
You don’t raise kids by just feeding them and paying the bills. You raise 'em by being there — real present, not just in the room but in the moment. Kids learn more from what you do than what you say, so if you're living love, speaking truth, and walking right, they'll catch it like a vibe.
Correct with grace. Lead with patience. And let them see God in your everyday — in how you handle stress, how you forgive, how you hustle with heart.
Because one day, they’ll grow up. And the seeds you plant now? That’s the fruit they’ll carry into the world.
Teach your children to talk to God and not write a diary/journal..dear diary to dear God, encourage them to talk to God about things that trouble them before talking to you about them,they are so many ways of doing things,we are all here with different spiritual assignments ,the risk exposure parenting is not what we need,but to prepare them for good and bad things , while protecting them with all that God has put at our disposable as parents,I didn't agree with so much of your perspective today,the internet world and the physical world are both dangerous..we need to talk to our kids about things they might encounter,bad grapes spoil good grapes,if parents are not raising their kids right,you should not have them around yours ,it doesn't make you a bad person,it means theirs a bad parent not doing their job,kids a very delicate vessel can be influenced easily..
So how do we account for leaders, managers, and politicians around the world who are ushering these fascist models into life again? How about the university leaders that broke up Gaza peace support encampments and arrested students and staff and faculty? They are old enough to not have had cell phones as kids. Are we saying cellphone time is likely to exacerbate this?
This is so sad…. I'm a 80's kid my childhood was amazing even growing up in Apartheid South Africa I have amazing memories just playing with friends.
Snap chat is soo bad – thank god im old don't have to be on it
as a person who played Leisure suit Larry Im just trying to understand wtf is going on.
Red flags are good -😌a door way to really get to know them
😅 – why are you playing that game ahahha? 😂
The advert got me. For Pap you need to melt butter and a stock cube in the water. I make my own, without a machine (that’s not cooking Trevor) but opt for soft pap – stiff pap is too time consuming. The bushmen in Namibia taught me to make it. Jamie Oliver taught me the flavouring. It’s a rainbow nation. Food happens this way.
One thing about being a bit left behind as country is that the thing Trevor is describing at @1:10:00 is still happening in townships in South Africa. I smile when I see that. Yes, it's not as epic as the early 2000s games we used to play but the kids are still going outside to play.
I'm not sure about this. Even as the panelists state that they don't want to sound like their own parents, they still do. "soft play" vs "hard play" argument is flawed. Hard play was filled with bullying and hard edges that left many with scars for the rest of their lives. You could say those were "learnings", but maybe we figured those experiences were so bad that we don't want that for our kids
It's not just screen time, it's uncontrolled capitalism.
Can som1 shut christiana up plz??? Her voice n her horrific laughing is pain to the ears!😮
This is a bullshit title, just because past generation SUFFERED in silence, does not make the world get sicker for seeking help.
We should be CELEBRATING that we have reached a point people seek help, but you bullshit artist always want to put people down. Black had to fight to get accepted, queer had to fight to get accepted, autistic has to fight to get accepted, with a million other examples like you have to fight to have good mental health. WTF is the world not designed that you have to FIGHT to harm people, instead of fighting to heal and why is TN promoting this bullshit attitude. (We still fight every day in all those groups because of attitude problems like this show.)
Although these issues exist globally, they are exponentially worse – coincidentally? – in neoliberal societies. Seeing the challenges many parents have who recognize the issues, but who lack the resources and wherewithal to counter them, is the best form of birth control out there. The scarcity mindset has become far too prevalent in the US and, as part of that system, American parents – even those with arguably decent incomes – are really struggling. The stark difference in what the West calls "third world countries", where children and families have a stable sense of community and belonging, while the West infantilizes them in the name of "progress" or "development", is all we need to know about the intentionality of a few that have created this collective reality.
This conversation is so frustrating. The guest claims boys are falling behind because schools now “favor girls.” But how exactly? Are schools accommodating periods? Hormonal cycles? Emotional labor? Even as adult women, we can’t talk about menstruation at work without being seen as “unprofessional.” Nothing about school or work was designed with girls in mind—they were built for and by men.
Here’s the truth:
Girls outperform boys academically—yes. Women earn ~60% of university degrees in the U.S. and many other countries. They dominate in grades and graduation rates.
But that success doesn’t translate to power or money. Women make up only ~10% of Fortune 500 CEOs, and fewer than 30% of national-level politicians globally. Wealth is still concentrated in male hands. SO WHO CARES IF WE HAVE MORE DEGREES WHEN THESE DEGREES CANT GIVE US POWER OR MONEY BECAUSE THE WORLD OF POWER IS FOR MEN EVEN WHEN THEY UNDER PERFORM GREATLY.
The system doesn’t "favor" girls—it rewards those who adapt. Girls work harder because they have to. They know autonomy is survival. But they’re not being catered to in our current system.
If boys are falling behind, address why. Emotional development gaps, lack of mental health support, toxic masculinity norms—these are real. But blaming girls’ success for boys’ struggles is lazy. schools were not designed or made for children in mind PERIOD. they don't help the neurodivergent, the ADHD (which girls struggle with as well), or any group. ITS A SCHOOLING ISSUE. not a special gender one.
We need to stop pretending academic performance = equality. Getting a PhD doesn’t give women power when corporate boardrooms, political offices, and capital are still overwhelmingly male-dominated. This isn’t a gender war. It’s a power imbalance. girls are working hard CAUSE THEY HAVE TO, and even then it doesn't work out for us.
this podcast opened my eyes to the reality that in spite of evolving with technology we have become surrounded by fear and no sense of community.
Appreciate the detailed breakdown! A bit off-topic, but I wanted to ask: My OKX wallet holds some USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (wonder obey dial dash soon tank spike scout region undo zero such). How can I transfer them to Binance?
It is good to hear and learn about that, What now with my 11 year olds son😂 oh my god 😁.
I would say here we are a bit lucky that the school is not allowed the kids to have the phone until grade 9.
It is scary for the future for all the kids that their parents didn't understand what will harm theirs kids growth with screen and social media.
For middle class in my Country many people are busy with works or small businesses on the street, but what I saw is many parents choosing to give smart phones to the kids at 2 or 3 years old kids for them to watching, they said it is more easy to keep the kids quiet, so the parents could work.
I hope all the government around the world would educate this problem to people.
For sure we can start by ourselves, but many people need the law to force.
In Cambodia diabetes is the first role in illness for children around 14 15 year olds.
The government have to forbid the sales of sweet drinks and energy drink in the public schools.
It is hard for kids, as a mom one thing i could help my boy, is adapt and habit to change what not good for the brain and body.
My father used to say kid are the blank paper.
In Cambodia the kids good or not good behaviour, they only blame the parents 😂 it is never the kids fault 😂 it is the parents fault only😂 Welcome to be parenting in Cambodia🤣
Thanks for this wonderful broadcast, it is helpful, I am appreciate to all of you ❤️ 🙏
Look at the vid "the world needs to know what this family is hiding" – if they can't answer question 10, THAT MEANS THEY'RE GUILTY!!!!! make this family go viral
Your words remind me of my old days when I used to work nine to five, now $93k fortnightly, retired my parents and in good health!!!❤️❤❤
This podcast should be called, What Now w/ Christiana! I LOVE what she brings to the show! And she’s beautiful 😍
What a great topic! Thanks 🙏🏿
Sleepovers. Especially for boys. Fun.✌
Help us.👽🤗👾
Minecraft. ✨🤗👾 free , play together and has "learning' 🙂
Communicate with your children. & try No judgement. We have a "no questions asked" code word. Really . Ha. &&& Speakers- gotta play/watch with Speakers (we all can hear the words & no judgement ,🤗🖖😍
I don’t appreciate men using profanity in the presence of Christiana. They need to show respect.
What Trevor is describing still happens in Burundi. When we head to work, we pause and respect the kids’ football games – they’ve closed off the roads, and that’s the rule of the game.
I never knew what the game was about. My husband use to go to a friend's to play the game 😮😊😅
@13:13 "These are the skills of a democracy …. we are training for authoritarianism".
We have got to stop doing this; we have got to stop weaving the democratic-authoritarian narrative into every story we tell. In Haidt's example, children are on a playground, a metaphoric altercation occurred and one child reports the altercation to a parent or authority figure (one is to assume). He believes the act of reporting inappropriate behaviour to a parent (or authority figure) is training children for authoritarianism.
We've all been kids before, and we have all played on some semblance of a playground. I'm fairly confident not one of us can recall one instance where an incident occurred on the playground – action was immediately halted, and a meeting of the six-year-old minds was called to discuss said incident, with all its intricacies. Moreover, in the meeting of the minds, I'm positive not one of us accused the victim of the incident of being an authoritarian because they told their parents.
We deserve better from these so called experts.