Are Young People Depressed Because of What They Were Taught in College?

Stanford: Colleges have really changed, haven’t they? They charge students a ton of money and then make them feel guilty about everything.

There’s this new documentary called The Coddling of the American Mind that dives into this issue. It argues that many young people today are feeling anxious and depressed because of how they’re taught to think in school.

Take Lucy Kross Wallace, for example. She shared that she felt anxious and guilty all the time, especially about the whole white privilege thing.

Then there’s Kimi Katiti, who went to The Art Institute of California. She said she lost her confidence during her college years. It’s like she was taught to see herself as a victim of “microaggressions” from white people.

She started interpreting everyday situations through that lens. Like, if she saw someone with a barking dog, she might think it was a racist act. That’s a heavy way to live!

It really changed how she approached her studies too. To get good grades, she felt she had to show how much of a victim she was to impress her professors.

Even though she didn’t agree with it, she thought, “I’m paying a lot, so they must know what they’re talking about.”

She learned to censor conservative speech and even joined a Twitter mob trying to get Ben Shapiro’s posts blocked. She spent nights reporting tweets, hoping to silence him.

At Stanford, she was taught that Shapiro’s ideas were dangerous for students of color and other marginalized groups. At first, she thought that was extreme, but then she felt guilty for being white.

She learned that a “good person” didn’t read too many books by white authors or listen to certain types of music. It made her question everything, even her taste in rap.

To fit in, she changed how she spoke. Using buzzwords like “marginalized” and “intersectional” made her feel accepted.

But later, she realized that this way of thinking was unhealthy and made her miserable.

Greg Lukianoff, who co-wrote the book the documentary is based on, says it’s not kind to teach students they can be harmed by words.

Interestingly, the new censorship was meant to help minorities, but it often backfires on them too. Saeed Malami, a Nigerian student, shared his experience at a protest where he felt isolated after expressing his views.

Instead of standing up for himself, he decided to keep quiet. He felt he had to say what others wanted to hear instead of what he truly believed.

This kind of self-censorship stifles important conversations and makes students unhappy. Kross Wallace admitted that when she was deep into social justice, she felt tired and miserable.

Now that she’s thinking for herself, she feels much happier. Katiti echoed that sentiment, saying she’s found peace outside of that mindset.

If you’re curious about this topic, The Coddling of the American Mind is a great starting point. You can check out the full documentary at thecoddlingmovie.com.

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