Everyone seems to be talking about this – yet I recognize some of my readers (hi mom) may not read the same sources I do. For this reason, I wanted to share something important that’s being recognized (or affirmed) in recent publications. Jonathan Haidt, who is not a believer but considers himself “religion friendly”, is a social psychologist with a lot of research to back up what he’s saying. What is his newest book confirming that most of us have already been aware of? “..the smartphone-driven “great rewiring of childhood” is causing an “epidemic of mental illness.”
It’s been on my mind a lot lately, especially as different stories have hit major news outlets. Schools in Canada are banding together for lawsuits against social media companies. What’s their accusation? “They were reckless and malicious, manipulating the brain neurochemistry of young students, getting them hooked on social media platforms, and, in doing so, causing widespread damage and disruption to the education system.“
Within a week of reading that story, I also read about schools in the US increasingly looking to hire “Chaplains”, in response to the current mental health crisis. I think it’s great that schools understand learning requires a safe environment, but also a “felt” safe environment, which means helping students cope with unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression.
But with schools in Canada, and hiring chaplains in the US, and a myriad of other responses to what is happening, it seems like we’re missing a major point. I think we’re missing it on purpose usually, because it’s a lot easier than owning our role. We’re pointing fingers at others, or employing others and tasking them with bringing healing, while abdicating our role in any of this. The truth is – each of us has agency in responding to the problem. And it is a problem. Despite what those who profit from these devices and services may say in defense. I’m generally the opposite of an alarmist (ask my wife), and I’m immediately skeptical of anything someone says to try and illicit an urgent response. So I’ll wait a moment while you Google as needed to find the stats and confirm what I’m saying here. The kids are not okay.
But there is hope.
Remember what it was like growing up in a world where loving adults were placed in positions of authority and care over children?
Whether or not that was your reality, that does seem to be the intent. Whether you’re a believer who credits this within the grand design of God, or whether you’re a non-believer who credits this within the survival of the fittest – there’s a truth to it. Those who have survived longer are placed in positions of guidance and authority over those still developing a pre-frontal cortex.
Every time we’ve experienced this sort of “learning” in modern times, we’ve instituted controls to protect those who are most vulnerable because of their age. We’ve set minimum ages for drinking or smoking, because these substances are harmful and addictive. It wasn’t immediate, and there were difficult moments in instituting these controls, but they were worth the struggle. Our children, and the future generations of healthy adults who will help lead this world into a future of flourishing – are worth it.
So what are the 4 primary recommendations being given by Haidt, as one small but tangible way to make a major impact on the mental health of our youth (and subsequently help foster a tomorrow where adults are mentally/emotionally well-prepared)? Here they are:
- No smartphones before High School age. (Parents/guardians – we can do this!)
- No social media before age 16 (and hold companies accountable for this, in the same way stores are accountable for checking ID’s before sales of alcohol/tobacco).
- No phones in schools. (Seriously, why is this one so hard to see?)
- Prioritizing real-world play and independence.
If we took this list seriously, it would make a major impact immediately. If homes and places of education adopted these as norms – students wouldn’t feel the pressure to “keep up/plugged in” simply because their friends were. Sure, most youth would go through a difficult withdrawal phase. We’d have to adapt to new routines, and trust that we could all survive. Everyone reach out to your favorite helicopter parent, and give them extra affirmation – making your kids “unreachable” during the school day is actually good parenting.
One thing Haidt says over and over again, is that these devices are “Experience Blockers”. His book even includes a chapter which seems significant for a nonbeliever to include. The importance of a shared religious experience, or spiritual community that we are committed to, can make such an important impact on fostering a strength that we and our children both need. Of course it should be obvious by this point – as adults, we should be leaving our phones behind (or at least turning them off, not just silencing them) whenever we enter church on Sunday mornings (and other times of devotion/reading/prayer throughout the week).
Yes, devices offer us significant experiences as well. But this doesn’t mean they’re 100% without potential for great damage. There are plenty more links and books I could suggest, but I think the best evidence would simply be to tell you – go unplug from devices for the next 60 minutes. See how you feel afterward. Don’t we think this is needed more, across the generations?
words from wick 