I sat down with social psychologist and bestselling author Jonathan Haidt to examine how overprotective parenting and unfettered access to social media have stunted the development of Gen Z. A decades-long obsession with safety has replaced unsupervised outdoor play with online binging—and now we’re faced with a younger generation that’s more anxious, less confident, and robbed of the independence and resilience needed to grow into capable adults. What will it take for America to raise free, competent, and happy children again?
Follow Jonathan on X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/JonHaidt
Outline:
[0:00] Introduction
[0:49] The origin of “The Coddling of the American Mind”
[2:13] What does it mean to be an adult?
[10:22] Why parents should avoid over-scheduling
[12:24] Is Gen Z actually that unique?
[16:30] Social media’s impact on kids’ mental health
[20:09] Looking beyond depression and anxiety
[22:15] Do fragile kids become failed adults?
[24:12] How can people achieve happiness?
[28:38] The bad ideas running our society
[29:39] Why is anti-fragility so important?
[33:29] Stick-and-stones vs mean words
[37:51] What is “locus of control”?
[41:00] Should we trust our feelings?
[45:20] Measuring childhood success
[47:18] Kids’ problems become society’s problems
[49:13] Where is America headed if we don’t change course?
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