Episode 39: Are Smartphones Really Ruining Our Lives… Or Is It Something Else? (ft. Jonathan Haidt)

About the Episode

Is everything going to hell in a handcart because of smartphones and social media? In this episode, I sit down with NYU professor and bestselling author Jonathan Haidt to tackle this burning question.

Dr. Haidt makes a compelling case that our addiction to these devices is wreaking havoc on society, from mental health crises to political turmoil. But is it really all the smartphone’s fault? I’m not so sure it’s quite that simple, so I wanted to dive deeper into the nuances.

We get into the nitty-gritty and I challenge some of Haidt’s claims, exploring questions like, why do these issues seem to hit the English-speaking world the hardest? Is this another moral panic, or is this time really different? We also discuss the differences in how smartphones affect various demographics and cultures, and why understanding these distinctions is crucial. Plus, we explore Jonathan’s practical and highly sensible recommendations for parents, educators, and policymakers.

Whether you’re a skeptic or a die-hard believer, this episode will make you rethink your relationship with the technology in our pockets.

Let’s do this.

Quotes From the Episode

This is about the global destruction of human capital in the digital age. Our kids are not thriving. Even those that are not mentally ill, I think they’re not, on average, achieving levels of flourishing they could have.

What’s happening here is the largest destruction of human capital. This is beyond anything you can imagine. This isn’t just about depression; it’s a complete transformation of how you exist on this planet.

A phone-based childhood is incompatible with human flourishing.

We’ve overprotected our children in the real world and unprotected them online.