Episode · Conversations with Tyler · 2024-04-03
Books mentioned on Jonathan Haidt on Adjusting to Smartphones and Social Media
In The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt explores the simultaneous rise in teen mental illness across various countries, attributing it to a seismic shift from a "play-based childhood" to a "phone-based childhood" around the early 2010s.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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The Anxious Generation
The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt explores the severe mental health crisis among adolescents brought on by the shift from a play-based childhood to a phone-based, screen-dominated culture.
Discussed“what I found in doing the research for the book is that the gap between left and right became a chasm after 2012.”
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The Better Angels of Our Nature
The Better Angels of Our Nature by Steven Pinker is a comprehensive historical and data-driven study that argues violence has steadily declined over the course of human history.
Discussed“Matt Ridley's book Rational Optimist, you know, Steve Pinker's points about the Better Angels of Our Nature.”
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The Rational Optimist
The Rational Optimist by Matt Ridley offers an optimistic look at the long history of humanity, arguing that human progress is driven by innovation and the exchange of ideas.
Discussed“looking at the long history of humanity, and I know you're you know, I'm I'm I'm very sympathetic to Matt Ridley's book Rational Optimist, you know, Steve Pinker's points about the Better Angels of Our Nature.”
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Nonzero
Nonzero by Robert Wright is a foundational book of nonfiction that explores the long-term historical trajectory of human cooperation and the growing nonzero-sum dynamics among nations.
Discussed“And Robert Wright, Robert Wright's book Nonzero.”
Other mentions in this episode (1) — ad reads, self-promotion and passing references, never counted
“Repeating to everyone, here is John's book, The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.”