Jonathan Haidt: A Mirror to Our Times

You probably know Jonathan Haidt as the person trying to help kids navigate smartphones and social media. You’ve likely read The Anxious Generation, which has been translated into 44 languages and sold almost 2 million copies. Some say Jon is like a celebrity for 21st-century moms who don’t understand apps like Discord.

But when peopel write about Haidt in the future, it will be for more than just this book and the movement it started. I believe he’ll be seen as one of the most important writers of our time.

He has a remarkable ability to understand – and explain – whatS happening in society. He shows us a clear picture of ourselves.

He did this with his book The Righteous Mind, which explained why people feel so strongly about politics and religion. He did it again with The Coddling of the American Mind, co-written with Greg Lukianoff, which looked at why young people – especially in collage – can struggle to accept different opinions. And in his latest book, The Anxious generation, he asked a simple question: Why are teens suddenly so unhappy? Why are thay having trouble focusing, believing in themselves, and connecting with others? Maybe it has something to do with the devices they’re always using.

In a confusing world, Haidt…