Jonathan Haidt

That's how we got so deep into this. And so the solution is collective action. So in my book, I kind of assume that we might never get any real help from the federal government. There is a chance that COSA, the Kids Online Safety Act, will pass. That is the one thing that really could pass. But I really wrote the book assuming there's not gonna be a legislative solution to this.

That's how we got so deep into this. And so the solution is collective action. So in my book, I kind of assume that we might never get any real help from the federal government. There is a chance that COSA, the Kids Online Safety Act, will pass. That is the one thing that really could pass. But I really wrote the book assuming there's not gonna be a legislative solution to this.

We have to do this ourselves by changing norms. And so in the book I propose, I mean, I have like 50 suggestions, 50 ideas for parents and teachers and schools. But I realized, wait, four of these are just really foundational things that we can do together and they're really powerful. So in order, they are no smartphone before high school. We have to just clear this all out in middle school.

We have to do this ourselves by changing norms. And so in the book I propose, I mean, I have like 50 suggestions, 50 ideas for parents and teachers and schools. But I realized, wait, four of these are just really foundational things that we can do together and they're really powerful. So in order, they are no smartphone before high school. We have to just clear this all out in middle school.

Middle schoolers should not be having the internet in their pocket. Give them a flip phone, give them a phone watch, give them something else, but not a smartphone. No social media till 16. Social media is wildly inappropriate for minors. It's full of extreme sex, violence, men from all over the world reaching out to you because they want sex.

Middle schoolers should not be having the internet in their pocket. Give them a flip phone, give them a phone watch, give them something else, but not a smartphone. No social media till 16. Social media is wildly inappropriate for minors. It's full of extreme sex, violence, men from all over the world reaching out to you because they want sex.

I mean, it's insane that we have children talking with men all over the world. So no social media till 16. The third norm is phone-free schools. Lock up the phones in a yonder pouch or in a phone locker in the morning, they get it back at the end of the day. And the fourth norm is far more independence, free play and responsibility in the real world because Until the 1990s, kids had a childhood.

I mean, it's insane that we have children talking with men all over the world. So no social media till 16. The third norm is phone-free schools. Lock up the phones in a yonder pouch or in a phone locker in the morning, they get it back at the end of the day. And the fourth norm is far more independence, free play and responsibility in the real world because Until the 1990s, kids had a childhood.

They were outside a lot. They had adventures. They learned to be self-governing, self-supervising. We took that away from them beginning in the 90s, totally gone by 2015. So our kids never get any fun or adventure. So all they have is their screens.

They were outside a lot. They had adventures. They learned to be self-governing, self-supervising. We took that away from them beginning in the 90s, totally gone by 2015. So our kids never get any fun or adventure. So all they have is their screens.

So if we do those four things, we break out of these collective action problems, we restore childhood, we delay the full social media immersion until age 16 when they're halfway or more than halfway through puberty. That's my basic proposal. So those are the four.

So if we do those four things, we break out of these collective action problems, we restore childhood, we delay the full social media immersion until age 16 when they're halfway or more than halfway through puberty. That's my basic proposal. So those are the four.

Oh my goodness. Yes. Yeah. That's what's so exciting about this is that, so I propose these four norms, I have this analysis of what happened at Gen Z. I paint Gen Z as a generation that's been damaged, that's gonna be less than they would have been. They're less ambitious, they're less successful, they're less happy, they're less competent.

Oh my goodness. Yes. Yeah. That's what's so exciting about this is that, so I propose these four norms, I have this analysis of what happened at Gen Z. I paint Gen Z as a generation that's been damaged, that's gonna be less than they would have been. They're less ambitious, they're less successful, they're less happy, they're less competent.

And I've given a version of this talk in middle schools, in high schools, in universities, and I always ask at the end of it, what do you think? Did I get your generation wrong? And I usually try, if I remember, I usually say, okay, question time. If you think I got something wrong, please raise your hand now, you know, or please be the first up to the microphone.

And I've given a version of this talk in middle schools, in high schools, in universities, and I always ask at the end of it, what do you think? Did I get your generation wrong? And I usually try, if I remember, I usually say, okay, question time. If you think I got something wrong, please raise your hand now, you know, or please be the first up to the microphone.

And maybe one time someone said, I think you got this wrong. The other, you know, thousands and thousands and thousands of times, they say, yep, that's basically right. Now, maybe some of them are too shy to speak up, but my point is, young kids like, you know, nine, 10, they desperately want phone, TikTok, everything.

And maybe one time someone said, I think you got this wrong. The other, you know, thousands and thousands and thousands of times, they say, yep, that's basically right. Now, maybe some of them are too shy to speak up, but my point is, young kids like, you know, nine, 10, they desperately want phone, TikTok, everything.

But by the time they're in late high school or certainly college, the overwhelming view I find among Gen Z is, wow, did this mess us up? Not that I'm gonna quit because I don't wanna be alone, But man, did this mess us up. And that's why when you ask them, do you wish social media was never invented? Most of them say, yes, I wish it was never invented. So Gen Z, Gen Z is incredibly supportive.

But by the time they're in late high school or certainly college, the overwhelming view I find among Gen Z is, wow, did this mess us up? Not that I'm gonna quit because I don't wanna be alone, But man, did this mess us up. And that's why when you ask them, do you wish social media was never invented? Most of them say, yes, I wish it was never invented. So Gen Z, Gen Z is incredibly supportive.