Jonathan Haidt

From the age of two all the way through the teen years, at least half our kids are hooked.

From the age of two all the way through the teen years, at least half our kids are hooked.

I think the best way to understand it is for older people, at least if you were, say, 35 years old or older, you probably grew up playing outside with friends. You had some freedom. And so I'd like everyone watching, think back about the most exciting, wonderful things that you did as a kid. What are your best memories?

I think the best way to understand it is for older people, at least if you were, say, 35 years old or older, you probably grew up playing outside with friends. You had some freedom. And so I'd like everyone watching, think back about the most exciting, wonderful things that you did as a kid. What are your best memories?

I think the best way to understand it is for older people, at least if you were, say, 35 years old or older, you probably grew up playing outside with friends. You had some freedom. And so I'd like everyone watching, think back about the most exciting, wonderful things that you did as a kid. What are your best memories?

OK, now let's go through it and let's see what it's like for that half of our kids who are online almost all the time. What's it like for them? So did you ever laugh with your friends? Do you ever share a laugh with your friends? Of course. I just did a quick calculation before we talked here.

OK, now let's go through it and let's see what it's like for that half of our kids who are online almost all the time. What's it like for them? So did you ever laugh with your friends? Do you ever share a laugh with your friends? Of course. I just did a quick calculation before we talked here.

OK, now let's go through it and let's see what it's like for that half of our kids who are online almost all the time. What's it like for them? So did you ever laugh with your friends? Do you ever share a laugh with your friends? Of course. I just did a quick calculation before we talked here.

Somewhere between 200,000 times and a million times is probably about the number of laughs that we shared with a friend. Imagine cutting that by 90%. Take 90% of it out of your child's life. Because they don't see their friends very much. And typing LOL is not the same as laughing hysterically with your friends. Did you ever look out a car window and just daydream? Did you ever do?

Somewhere between 200,000 times and a million times is probably about the number of laughs that we shared with a friend. Imagine cutting that by 90%. Take 90% of it out of your child's life. Because they don't see their friends very much. And typing LOL is not the same as laughing hysterically with your friends. Did you ever look out a car window and just daydream? Did you ever do?

Somewhere between 200,000 times and a million times is probably about the number of laughs that we shared with a friend. Imagine cutting that by 90%. Take 90% of it out of your child's life. Because they don't see their friends very much. And typing LOL is not the same as laughing hysterically with your friends. Did you ever look out a car window and just daydream? Did you ever do?

Of course we did. We all did that. Okay. Imagine taking out 100% of that. Because now as soon as the kid gets in the car, they have a device. They're on the device the whole way.

Of course we did. We all did that. Okay. Imagine taking out 100% of that. Because now as soon as the kid gets in the car, they have a device. They're on the device the whole way.

Of course we did. We all did that. Okay. Imagine taking out 100% of that. Because now as soon as the kid gets in the car, they have a device. They're on the device the whole way.

Did you ever play outside? Cut 70% of that. Did you ever read a book? Cut 60% of that. Did you ever have a hobby? Cut 80% of that. So when our kids are online about 8, 10, 12 hours a day, there isn't time for anything else. It pushes everything out of childhood. And that is a sad childhood. We've got to stop this.

Did you ever play outside? Cut 70% of that. Did you ever read a book? Cut 60% of that. Did you ever have a hobby? Cut 80% of that. So when our kids are online about 8, 10, 12 hours a day, there isn't time for anything else. It pushes everything out of childhood. And that is a sad childhood. We've got to stop this.

Did you ever play outside? Cut 70% of that. Did you ever read a book? Cut 60% of that. Did you ever have a hobby? Cut 80% of that. So when our kids are online about 8, 10, 12 hours a day, there isn't time for anything else. It pushes everything out of childhood. And that is a sad childhood. We've got to stop this.

Well, that's right. And the last time you and I spoke, we focused on mental illness, anxiety, depression, and we're going to talk a lot about that today. That's really, really important. But what I've learned since you and I last spoke is that I think an even bigger harm that happened to our kids is the destruction of their ability to pay attention.

Well, that's right. And the last time you and I spoke, we focused on mental illness, anxiety, depression, and we're going to talk a lot about that today. That's really, really important. But what I've learned since you and I last spoke is that I think an even bigger harm that happened to our kids is the destruction of their ability to pay attention.

Well, that's right. And the last time you and I spoke, we focused on mental illness, anxiety, depression, and we're going to talk a lot about that today. That's really, really important. But what I've learned since you and I last spoke is that I think an even bigger harm that happened to our kids is the destruction of their ability to pay attention.