Summary
The Coddling of the American Mind by Jonathan Haidt and Greg Lukianoff is a provocative examination of what the authors see as troubling trends on college campuses and in American society at large. Published in 2018, the book argues that a culture of “safetyism” and overprotection is harming young people's mental health and ability to engage with diverse viewpoints.
Drawing on psychological research and observations of campus culture, Haidt and Lukianoff identify three “Great Untruths” they believe are being taught to the younger generation: what doesn't kill you makes you weaker; always trust your feelings; and life is a battle between good people and evil people. The authors contend these ideas are contributing to rising rates of anxiety, depression, and polarization among young adults.
While controversial in some of its claims, The Coddling of the American Mind sparked widespread discussion about free speech, mental health, and education when it was released. The book expanded on themes from a 2015 Atlantic article by the same authors and became a New York Times bestseller, reflecting its resonance amid ongoing debates about political correctness, “trigger warnings,” and ideological diversity on campuses.
Plot
In The Coddling of the American Mind, authors Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt argue that a new culture of “safetyism” on college campuses is harming students' mental health and education. They contend that young people are being taught three “Great Untruths": what doesn't kill you makes you weaker, always trust your feelings, and life is a battle between good and evil people.
The authors trace how these ideas became prevalent, examining trends like overprotective parenting, the decline of free play, and the rise of social media. They argue these factors have left many students anxious and unprepared for the challenges of adult life. On campus, this manifests as demands for trigger warnings, safe spaces, and the disinvitation of controversial speakers.
Lukianoff and Haidt explore how these trends intersect with increasing political polarization and a rise in anxiety and depression among young people. They contend that well-intentioned efforts to protect students from offensive ideas are backfiring, leaving them more fragile and less able to engage with diverse viewpoints.
The book concludes by offering potential solutions to strengthen young people and institutions. The authors advocate for more unsupervised play in childhood, teaching cognitive behavioral therapy skills, promoting viewpoint diversity on campus, and cultivating intellectual humility. They argue these approaches can help create more resilient students and a healthier democracy.
Themes
The dangers of “safety culture” on college campuses
The rise of anxiety, depression, and polarization among students
How overprotective parenting has left young people unprepared
The loss of free play and unsupervised time for children
The impact of social media on youth development
Growing political divisions and intolerance of opposing views
The need for viewpoint diversity and intellectual humility
Setting
The book takes place primarily on American college campuses in the 2010s, examining trends in higher education and youth culture that the authors see as detrimental to students' intellectual and emotional development. While focused on universities, it also explores broader societal shifts occurring across the United States during this time period.
The authors trace the origins of these trends back to the 1980s, looking at changes in parenting styles, childhood experiences, and political polarization that have shaped the current generation of college students. They situate campus conflicts within the context of rising political divisions and tensions in American society at large.
Beyond examining specific campuses, the book takes a wide-angle view of cultural and technological changes impacting young Americans, including the rise of social media, changing attitudes toward free speech, and evolving concepts of safety and harm. The setting encompasses both the physical spaces of college campuses and the broader intellectual and social environment shaping students' worldviews and behaviors.
Key Figures
Jonathan Haidt: One of the co-authors and a social psychologist. He analyzes social trends and psychological findings related to the challenges facing young people and higher education today. Haidt draws on his expertise to examine how cultural shifts have impacted students' mental health and ability to engage with diverse viewpoints.
Greg Lukianoff: The other co-author and a First Amendment expert. He brings his legal knowledge and experience with free speech issues on college campuses to the book's analysis. Lukianoff helps explore how changing attitudes toward speech and safety are affecting academic discourse and student development.
College students: While not specific characters, contemporary college students are a key focus of the book. The authors examine trends among this group, including rising rates of anxiety and depression, difficulty engaging with opposing viewpoints, and adoption of the “Great Untruths” the book identifies.
University administrators: Another group featured prominently, though not as specific characters. The book analyzes how administrators have responded to student demands and shaped campus policies in ways that may be counterproductive.
Quick facts
The book was co-authored by Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE).
It expands on a 2015 Atlantic article of the same name by Lukianoff and Haidt.
The book argues that overprotecting young people is causing a crisis in mental health on college campuses.
The authors coined the term “safetyism” to describe the culture of overprotection on campuses.
The book spent seven weeks on the New York Times bestseller list.
Haidt and Lukianoff argue that trigger warnings and safe spaces are ultimately harmful to students.
They trace many current campus issues back to changes in parenting styles and childhood experiences in the 1980s and 1990s.
The book connects the rise of anxiety and depression among young people to decreased unsupervised play time in childhood.
It proposes solutions centered on teaching resilience and encouraging viewpoint diversity on campuses.
About the Author
Jonathan Haidt is a prominent social psychologist and professor of ethical leadership at New York University's Stern School of Business. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in 1992 and has since become known as one of the world's top thinkers on morality, culture, and politics. Haidt's research focuses on the psychological foundations of morality across different cultures and how moral intuitions shape people's beliefs and behaviors.
Haidt is perhaps best known for developing Moral Foundations Theory, which proposes that humans have innate moral intuitions that vary across cultures. He has applied this framework to help explain political differences, arguing that liberals and conservatives prioritize different moral foundations. Haidt is also a co-founder of Heterodox Academy, an organization that advocates for increased viewpoint diversity and open inquiry in higher education.
As an author, Haidt has written several influential books that apply moral psychology to contemporary issues. His 2012 book The Righteous Mind explored how moral judgments arise from intuition rather than reason. In 2018, he co-authored The Coddling of the American Mind with Greg Lukianoff, which critiqued what the authors saw as growing mental fragility and decreased resilience among younger generations. Haidt's latest book, The Anxious Generation, expands on these themes.
Beyond his academic work, Haidt is a frequent public commentator on issues related to psychology, politics, and campus culture. He writes regularly on his “After Babel” Substack and has given popular TED talks on moral psychology. While sometimes characterized as conservative, Haidt considers himself a centrist and aims to foster greater understanding across ideological divides. His interdisciplinary approach and accessible writing style have made him an influential voice in debates about polarization, free speech, and the future of American democracy.
