The Books Brothers’ best discussions from The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.

Introduction and Part 1: A Tidal Wave (1:14 - 36:34)

• What are your thoughts on the author’s metaphor of “Kids [today] growing up on Mars”?
• When did you receive your first smartphone?
• The guys share their own negative experiences and consequences from their own phone use / screen time through the years.

Part 2: “The Backstory: The Decline of the Play-Based Childhood” (36:35 - 54:20)

• What are your thoughts on the author’s comments that there has been a decrease of risky play in the physical world but an increase in risky play in the virtual world?

Part 3: “The Great Rewiring: The Rise of the Phone-Based Childhood” (54:21 - 1:09:08)

• What are some specific ways you’ve combated against letting your phone and other technologies affect your spiritual life?

Part 4:  “Collection Action for Healthier Childhood” and the Conclusion (1:09:09 - 1:29:28)

• How much do you agree or disagree with the statement Haidt addresses as it relates to technology / social media use: “I agree with making changes, but it’s too late”, and why?
• What is one thing you plan to apply from this book in your community (family, church, neighborhood, school, etc)?
• The guys share what’s next for the podcast, including our first ever panel interview, as well as the next book.

Additional resources

• Link to Let Grow: here
• Link to aligned organizations to Let Grow: here
• September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We all can help prevent suicide. Learn how here.
• If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call or text 988 to reach the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and connect with a trained crisis counselor. You can also text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.

We’ll see you next week for our first ever panel interview! Join us as we speak with a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Pediatrician to discuss topics from The Anxious Generation even further.

When we return in October, we’ll read Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield. You can buy the book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also borrow it at your local library. Don’t have a library card, or unsure where your local library is? Search on Google Maps, or find your local library by clicking here.

Follow us on Instagram @booksbrotherspodcast

Email us at [email protected]

Please subscribe and give us a review! We would really appreciate it.

See you in two weeks! Until then - read, reflect, and connect.

Garrett leads our discussion of Part 4: “Collection Action for Healthier Childhood” and the Conclusion from The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.

• Part 4 recap (2:06 - 7:45)
• Which author’s recommendations for healthier childhood do you like best? (7:46 - 32:25)
• How much do you agree or disagree with the statement Haidt addresses as it relates to technology / social media use: “I agree with making changes, but it’s too late”, and why? (32:26 - 42:07)
• What is one thing you plan to apply from this book in your community (family, church, neighborhood, school, etc)? (42:08 - 52:28)
• The guys share what’s next for the podcast, including our first ever panel interview, as well as the next book (52:29 - 54:48)

Additional resources

• Link to Let Grow: here
• Link to aligned organizations to Let Grow: here
• Of Boys and Men: Why the Modern Male Is Struggling, Why It Matters, and What to Do about It by Richard V. Reeves - link
• “This Relationship is Destroying Your Family” by Dad Tired podcast - link
• September is National Suicide Prevention Month. We all can help prevent suicide. Learn how here.
• If you or someone you know is in crisis, you can call or text 988 to reach the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and connect with a trained crisis counselor. You can also text HOME to 741-741 to reach the Crisis Text Line.

We’ll see you in two weeks for our first even panel interview! Join us as we speak with a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Pediatrician to discuss topics from The Anxious Generation even further.

When we return in October, we’ll read Gates of Fire: An Epic Novel of the Battle of Thermopylae by Steven Pressfield. You can buy the book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also borrow it at your local library. Don’t have a library card, or unsure where your local library is? Search on Google Maps, or find your local library by clicking here.

Follow us on Instagram @booksbrotherspodcast

Email us at [email protected]

Please subscribe and give us a review! We would really appreciate it.

See you in two weeks! Until then - read, reflect, and connect.

Adam (“Stehlin”) leads our discussion of Part 3: “The Great Rewiring: The Rise of the Phone-Based Childhood”  from The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.

• Which of the 4 social harms the author describes can you relate to most as it relates to your relationship with your phone and social media? (0:42 - 18:42)
• What strikes you the most about the impacts of social media use on boys and girls, and how can you relate specifically to how it impacts boys and men? (18:43 - 43:38)
• What are some specific ways you’ve combated against letting your phone and other technologies affect your spiritual life? (43:39 - 56:41)
• The guys compare their average weekly screen time reports. See who uses their phone the most, and the least! (56:42 - 59:43)

Next week we’ll discuss Part 4 (chapters 9 - Conclusion): “Collection Action for Healthier Childhood” (pages 219 - 295).

You can buy the book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also borrow it at your local library. Don’t have a library card, or unsure where your local library is? Search on Google Maps, or find your local library by clicking here.

Follow us on Instagram @booksbrotherspodcast

Email us at [email protected]

Please subscribe and give us a review! We would really appreciate it.

See you next week! Until then - read, reflect, and connect.

Thomas leads our discussion of Part 2: “The Backstory: The Decline of the Play-Based Childhood”  from The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.

Chapter 2: “What Children Need to Do in Childhood” (0:58 - 17:47)

• In light of the author’s comments about “safetyism” and supervised vs. unsupervised play, when do you recall the first times playing unsupervised? What were some of the most memorable (and possibly dangerous) moments?

Chapter 3: Discover Mode and the Need for Risky Play (17:48 - 40:27)

• What are some examples of activities you did as a kid that culturally would be deemed too unsafe and irresponsible to allow as a parent today? (17:48 - 23:56)
• What are your thoughts on the author’s comments that there has been a decrease of risky play in the physical world but an increase in risky play in the virtual world? (23:57 - 40:27)

Chapter 4: “Puberty and the Blocked Transition to Adulthood” (48:28 - 1:00:18)

• What rites of passage did you experience growing up? (48:28 - 58:17)
• A brief discussion about myelination and role it plays in “cementing” experiences during childhood development through a process of “neurons that fire together wire together”, thus emphasizing the importance of having proper and healthy development during pre-teen and teenage years (58:18 - 1:00:18)

Next week we’ll discuss Part 3 (chapters 5-8): “The Great Rewiring: The Rise of the Phone-Based Childhood” (pages 111 - 218)

You can buy the book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also borrow it at your local library. Don’t have a library card, or unsure where your local library is? Search on Google Maps, or find your local library by clicking here.

Follow us on Instagram @booksbrotherspodcast

Email us at [email protected]

Please subscribe and give us a review! We would really appreciate it.

See you next week! Until then - read, reflect, and connect.

Welcome back to Season Five of the Books Brothers Podcast! Thomas leads our discussion of the Introduction and Part 1 from The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.

Introduction (1:30 - 17:25)

• What are your thoughts on the author’s metaphor of “Kids [today] growing up on Mars” (1:30 - 4:08)
• When did you receive your first smartphone? (4:09 - 17:25)

Part 1: A Tidal Wave (17:26 - 51:00)

• The guys share their own negative experiences and consequences from their own phone use / screen time through the years (17:26 - 35:14)
• The guys share their own experiences and thoughts on parents’ sense of ability or powerlessness to control their kids’ technology and social media use (35:15 - 51:00)

Next week we’ll discuss Part 2 (chapters 2-4): The Backstory: The Decline of Play-Based Childhood.

You can buy the book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also borrow it at your local library. Don’t have a library card, or unsure where your local library is? Search on Google Maps, or find your local library by clicking here.

Follow us on Instagram @booksbrotherspodcast

Email us at [email protected]

Please subscribe and give us a review! We would really appreciate it.

See you next week! Until then - read, reflect, and connect.

Welcome back to the last episode of the Books Brothers Podcast! Listen as Flez leads our discussion of chapters 19, 20, and the Postscript from The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel.

• Chapter 19: “All Together Now” - How has your behavior impacted your financial success more than the strategies you’ve used? (0:33 - 10:59)
• Chapter 20: “Confessions” - Have you ever made a financial decision that you later regretted, and what did you learn from it? (11:00 - 23:29)
• “Postscript: A Brief History of Why the U.S. Consumer Thinks the Way They Do” - What historical events shaped your financial behavior, and how did it do so? (23:30 - 31:49)
• What are your biggest takeaways from the book, and what can you apply to your life? (31:50 - 39:34)
• Matt previews the next book! (37:57 - 39:35)

We’ll take the month of July off! When we return in August, we’ll read The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.

You can buy the book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also borrow it at your local library. Don’t have a library card, or unsure where your local library is? Search on Google Maps, or find your local library by clicking here.

Follow us on Instagram @booksbrotherspodcast

Email us at [email protected]

Please subscribe and give us a review! We would really appreciate it.

See you next week! Until then - read, reflect, and connect.

Welcome back to another episode of the Books Brothers Podcast! Listen as Thomas leads our discussion of chapters 17-18 from The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel.

• Chapter 17: “The Seduction of Pessimism” (0:51 - 18:43)

Do you become lured into pessimism more than you should? Why are we prone to be like this? (0:51 - 8:10)

How has the author’s reflections on optimism and historical growth of financial markets impacted how you view finances through an optimistic or pessimistic lens? (8:11 - 18:43)

• Chapter 18: “When You’ll Believe Anything” - (18:44 - 32:04)

Can any of you admit to wanting to believe something ludicrous about how the world works or your financial situation, but later come to a realization that you were kidding yourself? (18:44 - 28:49)

On the concept of “control”, what are examples of finances that you don’t fully understand but pretend to in order to have some semblance of peace? Conversely, are there financial matters you’ve come to terms with not having control over? (28:50 - 32:04)

Next week we’ll discuss chapters 19 - Postscript (pages 203 - 238).

You can buy the book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also borrow it at your local library. Don’t have a library card, or unsure where your local library is? Search on Google Maps, or find your local library by clicking here.

Follow us on Instagram @booksbrotherspodcast

Connect with us at [email protected]

Please subscribe and give us a review! We would really appreciate it.

See you next week! Until then - read, reflect, and connect.

This week, Thomas leads our discussion of chapters 15-16 from The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel.

• Chapter 15: “Nothing’s Free” (0:51 - 29:55) - Have you ever tried to get “cute” with your finances and attempted to outsmart everyone else or make some quick cash, but in retrospect it wasn’t a good idea?
• Chapter 16: “You and Me” (29:56 - 50:55) - Do you take investors’ advice at face value, or have you first considered what your own financial and investment goals are when listening to others’ opinions?

Resources referenced or discussed in today’s episode:

1. Article related to early 401K withdrawals - here
2. Link to The Daily podcast episode about the 401K - here
3. Article related to history of  “In God We Trust” being added to U.S. currency - here
4. Article related to Thomas Jefferson’s “Bible” - here
5. Article related to the “Great Wealth Transfer” - here

Next week we’ll discuss chapters 17 - 18 (pages 175 - 202).

You can buy the book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also borrow it at your local library. Don’t have a library card, or unsure where your local library is? Search on Google Maps, or find your local library by clicking here.

Follow us on Instagram @booksbrotherspodcast

Connect with us at [email protected]

Please subscribe and give us a review! We would really appreciate it.

See you next week! Until then - read, reflect, and connect.

Welcome back to another episode of the Books Brothers Podcast! Listen as (Adam) Stehlin leads our discussion of chapters 12-14 from The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel.

• Chapter 12: “Surprise!” (0:44 - 10:19) - Have any of you experienced a large financial surprise? If so, how did you deal with it?
• Chapter 13: “Room for Error” (10:20 - 16:26) - In light of the concept of “financial humility”, what are specific financial strategies that you implement or adhere to?
• Chapter 14: “You’ll Change” (16:27 - 27:21) - What are some examples of circumstances that have changed throughout your life that have impacted or altered the way you interact with money?

Next week we’ll discuss chapters 15 - 16 (pages 155 - 174).

You can buy the book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also borrow it at your local library. Don’t have a library card, or unsure where your local library is? Search on Google Maps, or find your local library by clicking here.

Follow us on Instagram @booksbrotherspodcast

Connect with us at [email protected]

Please subscribe and give us a review! We would really appreciate it.

See you next week! Until then - read, reflect, and connect.

Welcome back to another episode of the Books Brothers Podcast! Listen as Thomas leads our discussion of chapters 7-11 from The Psychology of Money: Timeless Lessons on Wealth, Greed, and Happiness by Morgan Housel.

• Chapter 7: “Freedom” - (0:45 - 18:21) Have you experienced the feeling of “reactance” (feeling overly controlled because of lack of money)? What would you have done during that time if you had more money? What about instances of having freedom due to your financial situation?
• Chapter 8: “Man in the Car Paradox” - (18:22 - 30:31) Have you ever bought something to convey a sense of status or prestige? What was it? How did that work out for you?
• Chapter 9: “Wealth is What You Don’t See” - (30:32 - 40:20) What were your general thoughts on this chapter?
• Chapter 10-11: “Save Money” and “Reasonable > Rational” - (40:21 - 50:46) Have you ever made what you thought was a rational plan but soon realized that it was very unrealistic to implement?

Resources referenced or discussed in today’s episode:

1. American household credit card debt: here
2. Link to podcast providing doctors, dentist and other health professionals with financial tips: here
3. Dave Ramsey’s nationwide study of millionaires: here

Next week we’ll discuss chapters 12 - 14 (pages 121 - 154).

You can buy the book on Amazon by clicking here.

You can also borrow it at your local library. Don’t have a library card, or unsure where your local library is? Search on Google Maps, or find your local library by clicking here.

Follow us on Instagram @booksbrotherspodcast

Connect with us at [email protected]

Please subscribe and give us a review! We would really appreciate it.

See you next week! Until then - read, reflect, and connect.