The Anxious Generation

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

By: Jonathan Haidt

Narrated by: Sean Pratt

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

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)

Convincing

Strong arguments and clearly made, I’m very grateful for this perspective and it’s made me a more informed parent.

Excellent listen - detailing our experiences in the real world

Finally a book that brings evidence to support claims I’ve been making for years now as a parent to gen z. A young parent at that!

One of the MOST IMPORTANT books of our time!

Intense. Shocking. Important.

That there’s a problem is without doubt. That it’s due to the causes presented by Haidt is near certain. That there are possible solutions is welcoming.

Thank you for writing this! 🙏🏼

A necessary read for anyone with a phone

As a Gen z person I wish my parents had this book when I was growing up.

Eye opener for parents

Practical tips and scary facts. Must listen for every parent. Grounded arguments that flow through the book