E84: Let’s Fix Social Media with Jonathan Haidt

In this episode of Upstream, Erik Torenberg sits in with social psychologist Jonathan Haidt to discuss his book, 'The Anxious Generation.' They dive into the severe impact of social media on youth mental health and explore Jonathan's recommendations for smartphone and social media usage among teens. They discuss the broader implications for democracy and the political divide, focusing on how these issues are intertwined with the tech industry. 

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LINKS:

Jonathan's newsletter: https://www.afterbabel.com/

The Anxious Generation website: https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/

(Book) The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness: https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036 

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X / TWITTER:

https://twitter.com/JonHaidt 

https://twitter.com/eriktorenberg 

https://twitter.com/Upstream__Pod 

https://twitter.com/TurpentineMedia

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TIMESTAMPS:

(00:00) Intro

(01:07) Evolution of Jonathan's work: from moral psychology to 'The Anxious Generation'

(02:21) The impact of social media on teen mental health

(04:15) The tragedy of overprotection and underprotection

(07:37) Pushback and debates on social media's impact

(12:48) The moral panic argument and its flaws

(17:48) Sponsors: Notion | Squad

(24:34) The role of algorithms and social media dynamics

(27:33) Liberal vs. conservative responses to social media

(28:47) Exploring After Babel

(29:03) The rise of anxiety and depression: a data-driven analysis

(29:19) Gender, politics, and mental health: a closer look

(31:20) The role of religion and community in mental health

(32:00) Parenting styles and their impact on youth

(32:39) The political implications of mental health trends

(33:21) Smartphone recommendations for a healthier childhood

(34:21) The broader impact of smartphones on society

(35:02) Schools and the loneliness epidemic

(41:08) The role of tech companies in youth well-being

(42:27) Addressing criticisms and misconceptions

(46:25) The importance of design over content in social media

(56:09) Wrap