In Chapter 7 of The Anxious Mind, Jonathan Haidt explores how smartphones and social media have created digital traps where boys often find themselves lost in video games and porn sites. Spending hours alone in their bedrooms, they miss out on real-life experiences and fail to develop the essential skills needed to thrive in the real world. This isolation has left some boys feeling purposeless, adrift, and struggling with poor mental health. Technology, Haidt argues, is conditioning them for a virtual existence, leaving them ill-equipped with the subtle social skills necessary for real-world success.
While boys have had a different experience compared to girls, they are now facing similar mental health challenges, with rising rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide since 2010. Haidt notes that boys' interests have typically centered around gaming and, in some cases, addiction to porn sites. This has led to difficulties in relating to real women, particularly in extreme cases. However, Haidt also points out that not all is bleak—moderate gaming can offer some benefits, though heavy use does not.
Haidt references the work of Durkheim, suggesting that modernity has weakened social interactions, resulting in a decline in social order. This chapter, though briefly summarized here, is another fascinating read and is essential for understanding the mental health challenges that adolescents, especially boys, are currently facing.
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