This week we're covering chapter three from The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt, "The Great Rewiring: How Childhood Changed, 2010–2015." This chapter examines the rapid shift from play-based to phone-based childhoods during the early 2010s, which Haidt calls the "Great Rewiring." He argues that the widespread adoption of smartphones and social media fundamentally altered how children socialize, learn, and develop, leading to increased mental health issues. The chapter highlights how this period saw a decline in free play and face-to-face interactions, replaced by screen time that disrupted critical developmental processes like synaptic pruning, essential for healthy brain development. Haidt identifies three key instincts (free play, attunement, and social learning) that are undermined by excessive device use, contributing to social deprivation and emotional challenges. He supports this with data showing a surge in anxiety and depression among Gen Z, particularly as smartphone ownership became nearly universal by 2016. The chapter sets the stage for exploring specific harms to boys and girls in later sections, emphasizing the loss of real-world experiences

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