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The Anxious Generation

How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

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The Anxious Generation

By: Jonathan Haidt
Narrated by: Sean Pratt
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About this listen

Brought to you by Penguin.

THE NO.1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER
A TIMES, FT, ECONOMIST AND INDEPENDENT BOOK OF THE YEAR

Acclaimed psychologist Jonathan Haidt reveals how the decline of free-play in childhood and the rise of smartphone use among adolescents is changing our world

From 2010, as teens traded in their flip phones for smartphones packed with social media apps, unsupervised time online soared while face-to-face conversations with friends and family plummeted, and so did mental health. This profound shift took place against a backdrop of diminishing childhood freedom and over-supervision in the real world, depriving children of the experiences they most need to become strong and self-governing adults.

The Anxious Generation delves into the latest research to show how this shift from free-play to smartphones disrupts development – from sleep deprivation to addiction – and lays the foundations of isolation and fear that define society today. Grounded in ancient wisdom and packed full of cutting-edge science and practical advice, this eye-opening book is a life-raft for anyone who wants to understand how the most rapid rewiring of human relationships and consciousness in human history has made it harder for all of us to think, focus, forget ourselves enough to care about others and build close relationships.

‘Jonathan Haidt is a modern-day prophet, disguised as a psychologist . . . He points the way forward to a brighter, stronger future for us all’ Susan Cain, New York Times best-selling author of Quiet Power

'Urgent and essential' Guardian

'One of the most terrifying books I have read . . . some of the statistics Haidt quotes are truly shocking' Evening Standard

©2024 Jonathan Haidt (P)2024 Penguin Audio

 Best of 2024 Mental Health Parenting & Families Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Relationships Social Psychology & Interactions Teenagers Inspiring Health

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Critic reviews

A very important book (Bessel van der Kolk)
Compelling, readable – and incredibly chilling . . . a terrifying assessment of the digital carnage . . . remarkably persuasive . . . a clarion-call to parents everywhere (Lucy Denyer)
A game-changer for society . . . The statistics that Haidt offers are jaw-dropping . . . although this book is about young people, it will resonate with many of us . . . I can’t recommend this book highly enough; everyone should read it (Stella O’Malley)
A book of devastating observations . . . his data is startling . . . robust scientific evidence for what we've all come to assume is true . . . it's the sheer scale of harm depicted here that should galvanise us (Simon Ings)
Forget horror; this is one of the most terrifying books I have read . . . some of the statistics Haidt quotes are truly shocking . . . a persuasive and rousing argument (Anna Davis)
Urgent and essential . . . it ought to become a foundational text for the growing movement to keep smartphones out of schools, and young children off social media (Sophie McBain)
Lucid, memorable, galvanizing (Meghan Cox Gurdon)
Erudite, engaging, crusading (Tracy Dennis-Tiwary)
All stars
Most relevant
This subject is very close to my heart and was compelled to consume this book after joining the Smartphone Free Childhood movement and seeing Jonathan on a webinar with its co-founders. I love the care and depth gone into the research and writing of this book and found it beyond reassuring, as I am a parent of two primary school aged children and decided long ago that they would not be getting smartphones until after their GCSEs! I highly recommend this book to all parents, teachers and teens who care about the cognitive and social development of children to read/listen to this book. For the "congregation", the preaching is good! For the sceptics, the preaching has enough legs to convert. I would have given the voiceover a five, but there were a few edits which were re-recorded which I found a tad distracting.

Insightful, informative and inspirational.

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I don’t normally listen to audiobooks but this one was so interesting that I was constantly listening to it. The author tackles the major issues of technology and I think everyone should read it.

Truly amazing

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challenged my thinking and I felt the research can't be ignored. delighted to have listened to it. will make changes with more convinction and follow through.

very thought provoking

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This book deserves widespread recommendation among parents and educators! It's an eye-opener that helps people understand the negative impact of a phone-based childhood. If many parents come together and prevent their kids from using digital devices, the next generation might not feel the same peer pressure to use one.

As a stepparent to 2 teenagers, I felt like the author was describing their current behaviour as if he knew them personally. The insights into the challenges and pressures faced by today's youth were spot-on and incredibly relatable.

What stood out to me most was the practical advice the author provided. I also have a 3-year-old son, and I am determined to put into practice the recommendations regarding no screens, no social media, and the importance of a play-based childhood. The emphasis on fostering a healthy, balanced environment for children was both reassuring and motivating.

This book is an invaluable resource for any parent or guardian navigating the complexities of raising children in today's digital age. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to understand and support their kids better.

Essential reading for modern parents!

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Great research based suggestions about how life can be improved for future generations. Simple ideas that can be easily included in child development and help the next generation be confident, community minded individuals.

Enlightened reminders

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