The Coddling of the American Mind
"Something is going wrong on many college campuses in the last few years. Rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide are rising. Speakers are shouted down. Students and professors say they are walking on eggshells and afraid to speak honestly. How did this happen? First Amendment expert Greg Lukianoff and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt show how the new problems on campus have their origins in three terrible ideas that have become increasingly woven into American childhood and education: what doesn't kill you makes you weaker; always trust your feelings; and life is a battle between good people and evil people. These three Great Untruths are incompatible with basic psychological principles, as well as ancient wisdom from many cultures. They interfere with healthy development. Anyone who embraces these untruths--and the resulting culture of safetyism--is less likely to become an autonomous adult able to navigate the bumpy road of life. Lukianoff and Haidt investigate the many social trends that have intersected to produce these untruths. They situate the conflicts on campus in the context of America's rapidly rising political polarization, including a rise in hate crimes and off-c
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Free-speech lawyer Greg Lukianoff and social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argue that three Great Untruths, what doesn't kill you makes you weaker, always trust your feelings, and life is good versus evil, are hurting Gen Z.
The Coddling of the American Mind (2018) argues that overprotective parenting and university culture have made young people more anxious and less resilient. Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt identify three Great Untruths they argue are spreading on campuses.
Reading either is fine. The Coddling of the American Mind (2018) and The Anxious Generation (2024) are both Jonathan Haidt collaborations. The Anxious Generation focuses more specifically on smartphones and youth mental health; The Coddling is broader.
The Coddling of the American Mind was written by Greg Lukianoff, published in 2018 by Penguin Press.
The Coddling of the American Mind is 352 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Coddling of the American Mind takes most readers 5 to 8 hours to finish.
The Coddling of the American Mind is a standalone novel by Greg Lukianoff, not part of a series.
The Coddling of the American Mind is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.
