In this episode, Tony explores how puberty and social media intersect, comparing Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation and Matt Richtel's How We Grow Up, and closing with Adam Aleksic’s Algospeak. He examines how smartphones, algorithms, and shifting social habits are reshaping adolescence, attention, gender norms, and mental health.
This episode outlines practical responses — more unsupervised play, better sleep, mentorship and community, digital age limits and biometric safeguards, and education about algorithms — to help young people navigate a faster, digital coming-of-age.
**Drinking Game:** Every time Tony says compelling, so on and so forth, and/or interesting, drink up! Drink responsibly!
EXPLORE:
Hear *13: the Musical,* here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlzsPwQ_Dzs
Listen to Bill Maher's podcast, *Random Club,* with William Macy, here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/club-random-with-bill-maher/id1613459129?i=1000731550816
Read: *The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness,* here: https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Generation-Rewiring-Childhood-Epidemic/dp/0593655036
Find out more about *Circle of Security of Parenting* here: https://www.circleofsecurityinternational.com/blogs/resources/videos-for-parents
Read: *How We Grow Up: Understanding Adolescence,* here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/0063282062/?bestFormat=true&k=how%20we%20grow%20up%20matt%20richtel&ref_=nb_sb_ss_w_scx-ent-pd-bk-d_k0_1_12_de&crid=E7DO5S68K3Z3&sprefix=How%20We%20Grow%20
Listen to "I Know Things Now" from Sondheim's *Into the Woods,* here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAsDInMEKvE
Read: *Algospeak: How Social Media Is Transforming the Future of Language,* here: https://www.amazon.com/Algospeak-Social-Transforming-Future-Language-ebook/dp/B0DK4JXWM7/ref=sr_1_1?crid=OJW3MXAMRP7G&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.0R2noU2KSwZqSeBcOXqk39UYBNodoMt2ghxN5LMD2gFPfON_9rIhX5ytVlPS1o9f.cChpEOO0w-pszBeD8RP6hfrV4756eRdZGPAtxvEIEXU&dib_tag=se&keywords=algospeak&qid=1760754608&s=digital-text&sprefix=algospeak%2Cdigital-text%2C121&sr=1-1
Listen to "All The Ladies" from *Operation Mincemeat,* here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2C4L3BXV7M
Listen to the *Rizzler Song,* here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4Ddg9JuOWY
Listen to "Lost in the Brass," sung by Lindsay Mendez, from the musical *Band Geeks,* here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=za4T2yo8U94
