In his groundbreaking book, The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt exposed how a new “phone-based childhood” was causing an epidemic of anxiety and despair among children and young adults. But what societal shifts lay at the root of this tech-induced crisis? Through his recent work with the Jewish Parents Forum and the Jewish community more broadly, Dr. Haidt has begun to focus on the ways that the decline of strong communities—especially religious communities—warps the process of moral formation and exposes children to the worst dangers of modern technology. In conversation with JPF’s executive director, Caroline Bryk, Dr. Haidt explores what faith-based communities can bring to the effort to provide kids with a more humane childhood. Dr. Haidt and Ms. Bryk will discuss how Jewish schools have been leading the way in crafting better tech policies for students, showing that Jews can make a national impact by providing a blueprint for other communities struggling with these questions.
