Scan barcode
Reviews tagging 'Child abuse'
The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt
2 reviews
vireogirl's review against another edition
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
Wow, super depressing on smart phones may be affecting the brain development of children. The ideas to fix it seem doable. I hope he's able to get a conversation started that makes a difference.
There is a surprisingly magical chapter in the middle of the book. It is called Spiritual Elevation and Degradation. "The phone-based life produces spiritual degradation...in all of us." He goes on to talk about collective effervescence and how being together lifts us to a different plane. It was inspiring, and I was surprised to see it between the depressing facts and the practical steps.
There is a surprisingly magical chapter in the middle of the book. It is called Spiritual Elevation and Degradation. "The phone-based life produces spiritual degradation...in all of us." He goes on to talk about collective effervescence and how being together lifts us to a different plane. It was inspiring, and I was surprised to see it between the depressing facts and the practical steps.
Content Warnings
Minor: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, and Pandemic/Epidemic
kirstieanya's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
fast-paced
5.0
Alarming. Concise. Essential.
I didn't really research this book before starting; I just saw a book on anxiety that was free to read, picked it up, and am profoundly glad that I did.
As a childless twenty-something, Gen-Z cusper, I don't think this book was aimed at me; however, it made me contemplate the digital age we live in, how it has impacted me personally, and how it will definitely younger generations.
Every chapter covers a key way in which phone-based lives are changing our mental health. The initial chapters introduce the subject, quoting alarming statistics about the drastic increase in mental health problems in adolescents after 2010 (around the time of the first iPhone with a front-facing camera and the shift towards an appearance-/judging-based social media).
One of the most interesting sections was the discussion of the ways in which society has changed and the reduction of "free play" due to the "overprotection" of children in real life (a subject, from this book, I have conflicting views on), which led to the increase of unprotected online life.
The author goes on to discuss the key differences between how different media affect boys and girls and the statistics that back this up.
The final chapters make some powerful arguments and suggestions for the ways in which parents, schools, and government could and should protect children from becoming so effected by online content. With the understanding that from now on, social media and online lives will be unavoidable, it provides data-based suggestions on how to limit the damage it can cause.
This book made me even more grateful to have been past the most vulnerable age when Instagram became as prevalent, addictive, and edited as it is today. This book is essential reading for any parent, teacher, or caregiver. The writing was succinct, understandable, and powerful. As a warning and a manual for current and future carers, I cannot fault this book, and I will definitely re-read it if I ever have children myself.
I didn't really research this book before starting; I just saw a book on anxiety that was free to read, picked it up, and am profoundly glad that I did.
As a childless twenty-something, Gen-Z cusper, I don't think this book was aimed at me; however, it made me contemplate the digital age we live in, how it has impacted me personally, and how it will definitely younger generations.
Every chapter covers a key way in which phone-based lives are changing our mental health. The initial chapters introduce the subject, quoting alarming statistics about the drastic increase in mental health problems in adolescents after 2010 (around the time of the first iPhone with a front-facing camera and the shift towards an appearance-/judging-based social media).
One of the most interesting sections was the discussion of the ways in which society has changed and the reduction of "free play" due to the "overprotection" of children in real life (a subject, from this book, I have conflicting views on), which led to the increase of unprotected online life.
The author goes on to discuss the key differences between how different media affect boys and girls and the statistics that back this up.
The final chapters make some powerful arguments and suggestions for the ways in which parents, schools, and government could and should protect children from becoming so effected by online content. With the understanding that from now on, social media and online lives will be unavoidable, it provides data-based suggestions on how to limit the damage it can cause.
This book made me even more grateful to have been past the most vulnerable age when Instagram became as prevalent, addictive, and edited as it is today. This book is essential reading for any parent, teacher, or caregiver. The writing was succinct, understandable, and powerful. As a warning and a manual for current and future carers, I cannot fault this book, and I will definitely re-read it if I ever have children myself.
Content Warnings
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Bullying, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Self harm, Sexual content, Suicide, Mass/school shootings, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Abandonment, and Sexual harassment