THEY’VE BEEN ILL-SERVED BY THEIR ELDERS’ INSTITUTIONS: Experts Say Gen Z Isn’t Prepared For The Workplace, But It Isn’t All Their Fault. “Depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide are all rising rapidly in Gen Z. . . . Haidt believes the issue has compounded on itself over time: in the 90s, American parents became much more protective of their children’s safety. Just as the crime rate was plummeting, play moved inside, onto screens, and kids came to be nearly always under adult supervision. This loss of free play and autonomy deprived kids of the kinds of experiences they most needed to grow strong and independent. These same kids then got heavily into social media beginning around 2010 — often while still in middle school. The heavy use of social media has been found to have some relationships with depression and anxiety, particularly for girls. Now, these kids are graduating and are entering the workforce, and Haidt says that he believes many employers will have trouble understanding them and their needs.”