CREDITS
By Dr Melane van Zyl
I have a couple more hours on the road with my recent work schedule change. Listening to audiobooks was the best use of this time. My current book is “The Coddling of the American Mind” by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt. I was instantaneously hooked, as I agree with the authors on possible reasons why we are seeing a rise in mental health problems in young people. It also comments on the problem of polarity, especially in politics.
“The Coddling of the American Mind” is a book written by Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt and published in 2018. It expands on a popular article of the same name that the authors published in The Atlantic in 2015. The book explores the cultural and social changes in American higher education, particularly focusing on the perceived rise in student fragility and the increasing demands for protection from ideas and opinions that students find uncomfortable or offensive. The authors argue that these trends are having a negative impact on intellectual and emotional development, as well as on society as a whole.
The main points of the book include:
1. Three Great Untruths: The authors identify three key beliefs that they argue are contributing to the coddling of the American mind:
a. The Untruth of Fragility: “What doesn’t kill you makes you weaker.” This belief suggests that people are fragile and need to be protected from challenges or discomfort, rather than embracing adversity as an opportunity for growth.
b. The Untruth of Emotional Reasoning: “Always trust your feelings.” This belief implies that emotional reactions should be the primary guide for interpreting reality, leading to a prioritization of personal feelings over objective evidence or reasoned argument.
c. The Untruth of Us Versus Them: “Life is a battle between good people and evil people.” This belief promotes a binary view of the world, leading to increased polarization and a tendency to label those with differing opinions as enemies.
2. Causes of the Problem: The authors explore various factors that have contributed to the rise of these untruths, such as overprotective parenting, the decline of free play, the increasing prevalence of social media, and political polarization.
3. Impact on Mental Health: Lukianoff and Haidt argue that the coddling of the American mind is contributing to an increase in anxiety, depression, and suicide rates among young people. They suggest that overprotection and avoidance of discomfort can hinder the development of crucial coping skills and resilience.
4. The Role of Universities: The book critiques the role that higher education institutions have played in promoting these untruths, particularly through the adoption of speech codes, trigger warnings, and safe spaces. The authors argue that universities should foster intellectual growth and encourage the free exchange of ideas, even those that may be challenging or uncomfortable.
5. Solutions: Lukianoff and Haidt propose various solutions to counter the coddling of the American mind, such as encouraging cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to challenge unhelpful thought patterns, promoting viewpoint diversity on college campuses, and advocating for a return to free play and autonomy in childhood.
Overall, “The Coddling of the American Mind” critiques contemporary American culture and higher education, calling for reevaluating the values and practices that have led to the rise of fragility and polarization.
Fragility generally refers to the vulnerability or susceptibility of an object, system, or concept to break, fail, or become damaged when exposed to stress or adverse conditions. There are several problems associated with fragility, which can manifest in different ways depending on the context:
1. Physical fragility: Objects that are fragile, like glass or ceramics, can break easily when subjected to impact, pressure, or other physical forces. This can result in damage or loss of functionality, which may be costly or dangerous.
2. Emotional fragility: Emotionally fragile People may struggle to cope with stress, criticism, or setbacks, often experiencing heightened emotional reactions. This can lead to mental health issues, strained relationships, and reduced overall well-being.
3. Economic fragility: Fragile economies are often characterized by weak institutions, high levels of corruption, and vulnerability to external shocks or crises. This can result in social and political instability, poverty, and reduced opportunities for growth and development.
4. Environmental fragility: Fragile ecosystems may be more susceptible to damage from human activity, natural disasters, or climate change. This can lead to loss of biodiversity, disrupted ecological balances, and reduced natural resources.
5. Social fragility: Fragile social systems may struggle to maintain cohesion and stability in the face of stressors like inequality, discrimination, or rapid change. This can result in social unrest, conflict, and weakened community bonds.
The problem with fragility is that it often makes systems, objects, or individuals more vulnerable to negative outcomes. Identifying and addressing fragility can help to build resilience, enabling better adaptation and recovery in the face of adversity.
“Antifragile” is one of the influential books written by Nassim Nicholas Taleb, a Lebanese-American scholar, statistician, and former options trader. Taleb is known for his work on probability, randomness, and uncertainty, particularly concerning finance and decision-making.
In “Antifragile,” Taleb expands on the ideas introduced in “The Black Swan” by presenting a new concept called “antifragility.” Antifragility goes beyond resilience or robustness; it refers to systems that actually benefit from shocks, volatility, and disorder. Antifragile systems improve and strengthen when subjected to stressors, while fragile systems break or fail.
Taleb argues that we should strive to create antifragile systems, institutions, and even personal habits, as this will make them better equipped to handle the unpredictable nature of the world. He explores various examples across domains like medicine, urban planning, and economics, demonstrating how antifragility can be applied to different aspects of life.
Taleb’s work has significantly impacted various fields, including finance, economics, and decision-making, inspiring new ways of thinking about the world and its inherent unpredictability.
Being anxious about everything that can go wrong is already a problem, but trying to be “safe” at all times creates even more problems.
We need to be resilient. As quoted for “The Cobbling of the American Mind”:
Prepare the child for the path, not the path for the child”.