The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness

Haidt explores the critical importance of unsupervised, risky play in childhood for healthy psychological development. He contrasts two recent, contradictory societal decisions: restricting children’s real-world exploration due to perceived dangers, while allowing unsupervised access to the risky virtual world.

Real-World and Virtual Dangers

Overprotective parenting has increased despite declining real-world dangers. Haidt points out the rise of online threats, such as sexual predators, which are more prevalent and accessible due to the internet. The lack of proper online safeguards contrasts starkly with the intense supervision imposed on children’s physical activities.

Unsupervised Play and Risk Management

Unsupervised outdoor play equips children with essential skills for handling risks and challenges. Haidt argues that this type of play is crucial for building physical, psychological, and social competence, which helps prevent anxiety. He introduces the concepts of “discover mode” and “defend mode” to explain how children’s brains adapt to their environments. Discover mode, activated in safe and stimulating environments, fosters curiosity and learning. Conversely, defend mode, triggered by perceived threats, induces anxiety and cautious behavior.

Discover Mode vs. Defend Mode

Humans, like other mammals, have evolved to switch between discover and defend modes. The behavioral activation system (BAS), or discover mode, turns on in safe environments, encouraging exploration and positive emotions. The behavioral inhibition system (BIS), or defend mode, activates in threatening situations, focusing attention on safety and danger. Chronic activation of defend mode, common in anxious individuals, hinders learning and growth.

Impact of Parenting Styles

Modern overprotective parenting often keeps children in defend mode, increasing anxiety and reducing their ability to handle risks. Haidt contrasts this with a more relaxed parenting style that encourages independence and risk-taking, leading to more resilient and confident children. He argues that unsupervised play helps children learn risk management and resilience through direct, low-stakes feedback.

Risky Play as Antidote to Anxiety

Risky play, such as climbing trees or engaging in rough-and-tumble activities, provides anti-phobic effects, helping children overcome fears. Haidt cites studies showing that children who engage in risky play develop better risk assessment skills and are less likely to develop phobias.

Antifragility and Development

Children are inherently antifragile, meaning they require exposure to challenges and stressors to develop strength and resilience. Overprotection can hinder the development of critical life skills, making children more fragile and anxious as adults. Haidt argues for a balance between safety and exposure to manageable risks to promote healthy development.

Haidt examines the critical period of puberty and its impact on brain development, emphasizing the importance of appropriate experiences during this phase.

Puberty and Brain Development

The human brain reaches 90% of its adult size by age six, but undergoes significant changes during puberty. This period involves the pruning of neurons and synapses, which eliminates unused connections while strengthening frequently used ones. Myelination, the coating of neuron axons with insulating material, increases the speed of neural transmission. These processes make the brain more efficient but less adaptable as it locks into its adult configuration. This phase is marked by heightened brain plasticity, making adolescents more vulnerable to stress but also more receptive to positive interventions.

Experience Blockers: Safetyism and Smartphones

Haidt identifies two major experience blockers that impede healthy development during puberty: safetyism and smartphones. Safetyism, or the overemphasis on protecting children from physical and emotional risks, deprives them of essential experiences needed for resilience and competence. Safetyism became prevalent in the 1980s and 1990s, leading to increased adult supervision and reduced opportunities for independent play and risk-taking.

Smartphones represent the second experience blocker. While they provide access to vast information and social connections, they also replace real-world interactions with screen-based experiences. Haidt argues that the virtual world cannot provide the same developmental benefits as face-to-face interactions, which are crucial for tuning up the social and emotional parts of the brain.

Rites of Passage

Haidt discusses the historical importance of rites of passage, which guide adolescents through the transition to adulthood. These rites, found in many cultures, typically include three phases: separation from childhood, a transformative transition involving challenges, and reincorporation into society as an adult. Such rituals help adolescents acquire knowledge, skills, and social standing necessary for adult roles.

Modern Challenges

Modern secular societies have largely abandoned traditional rites of passage, leaving adolescents without clear milestones marking their progression to adulthood. The rise of smartphones and digital media has further obscured these transitions, as virtual environments lack age-based thresholds and structured developmental experiences.

The Need for Structured Milestones

To support adolescents’ development, Haidt suggests reintroducing structured milestones that provide clear pathways to adulthood. These milestones should involve increasing freedoms and responsibilities, helping adolescents build resilience, competence, and independence.