# 2025 Haitkin Lecture: Why is Gen Z So Different? ft. Jonathan Haidt

![Jon Haidt Headshot](/sites/default/files/styles/article_image/public/2025-02/haidt-headshot-2023.just-head.800k-scaled.jpg?itok=mmjWC7bI)  Tuesday, March 18, 2025 5:00 PM to 6:00 PM  Paulson Auditorium (UC-50, Tisch Hall) [ REGISTER HERE ](https://forms.gle/QE2yatfib2J9fJ1V9)On March 18th, NYU Stern's [Business and Society Program](https://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/academic-departments/business-society-program) hosted its annual [Haitkin Lecture](https://www.stern.nyu.edu/experience-stern/about/departments-centers-initiatives/academic-departments/business-society-program/events/signature-bsp-events/haitkin-lecture). The event featured [Jonathan Haidt](https://jonathanhaidt.com/), Thomas Cooley Professor of Ethical Leadership and author of the New York Times Bestseller, [*The Anxious Generation*](https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/). Haidt presented the case made from *The Anxious Generation*, on how the transition from a play based childhood to a phone based childhood affected human development worldwide. He gave insight into how the Gen-Z generation has been affect by rapid technology advancements, leading them to become the most anxious generation yet.

**Discussion Highlights:**

**Female vs Male Development**:
Haidt explains how a phone-based childhood affects girls and boys differently—girls face rising anxiety and depression linked to social media, while boys show increasing disengagement through gaming and online isolation.

**Technology as a Default**:
Parents increasingly used technology as a substitute for real-world experiences, causing kids to miss key milestones in emotional regulation, problem-solving, and social skills.

**Importance of Independence**:
Haidt stresses the need for kids to have more freedom and real-world experiences early on, arguing that independence—not screen time—builds resilience, confidence, and maturity.

**Call to Action for Parents**:
Haidt urges parents to work together to end the norm of phone-based childhoods, delaying smartphones and prioritizing offline experiences to reverse the current mental health crisis.

To get involved, click the 'Take Action' button on The [Anxious Generation](https://www.anxiousgeneration.com/) website for resources, and be sure to also check out [Let Grow](https://letgrow.org/) for additional support and ideas.

![Jonathan Haidt](/sites/default/files/styles/large_825px_wide/public/2025-09/haitkin1.jpg.webp?itok=Mo0Sm_0Z)

Jonathan Haidt

![Jonathan Haidt](/sites/default/files/styles/large_825px_wide/public/2025-09/haitkin2.jpg.webp?itok=Wur0O-tU)

Jonathan Haidt addressing questions from the audience