1. What, according to Twenge, are the major differences between iGen and earlier generations of Americans? What evidence, if any, have you seen that Gen is "on the brink of the worst mental-health crisis in decades" (para. 10)?
2. Twenge claims that social media use among teens makes them unhappy because of their "concern about being left out" (para. 34). How widespread is this fear among your friends? What other reasons might explain why heavy social media use makes young people unhappy?
3. Why, according to Twenge, is social media use more toxic for girls than for boys? What differences do you see, if any, in the ways that young males and females use and relate to social media?
4. What other factors besides technology might explain the trends Twenge notes among iGen teens? What other reasons, for example, might explain why today's teens spend more time at home, work less, get less sleep, or learn to drive later than earlier generations? Does Twenge, in your view, overstate the case for technology's influence? Why or why not?
5. How realistic is Twenge's suggestion that it's time for parents to tell kids "to put down their phone" (para. 45)? To what extent did your parents try to limit