Book Review: The Coddling of the American Mind

One of my coworkers initially recommended this book to our PLC (professional learning community, for those of you who are unfamiliar with teacher lingo). Eager to have SOMETHING to add during our PLC meeting (which often revolves around discussions of literature, instructional methods, and writing skills), I put a hold on it at the Phoenix Public Library.

The main idea of "The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting Up A Generation For Failure" is this: American children are less prepared to handle the duties and responsibilities of being an adult, including (but not limited to!)

• Handling conflict
• Handling hurt feelings
• Handling social interactions
• Handling stressful situations

Citing qualitative and quantitative studies, authors Lukianoff and Haidt outline three great "untruths:" What doesn't kill you makes you weaker, always trust your feelings, life is a battle between good people and evil people. Children born after 1997 are likely to have learned and internalized these untruths based on how they were raised, leading to their inability to handle "adulthood."

Some of the motifs of the book include safe spaces, as students born after 1997 spend much time seeking safety and safe spaces rather than attempting to grow in antifragility on college campuses; anxiety and depression, as self-reported instances of psychological disorders have risen (Lukianoff and Haidt 157); and the role of society (parents included!) in making their children this way.

It certainly is not a beachy read. It isn't even a pool-side read. It most DEFINITELY is not an "I'm-in-bed-trying-to-fall-asleep" read. This book is best read when you are awake, alert, and have a notebook handy for note taking. I would actually suggest purchasing a copy so you can write in its margins.