Graduates booed Stern professor Jonathan Haidt as President Linda Mills welcomed him to the stage at NYU’s all-university commencement in Yankee Stadium, following backlash from students claiming his platform — built on criticism of technology use and progressive university culture — does not represent graduates’ values.

The social psychologist, known for his bestselling book “The Anxious Generation,” continued with his speech as around three dozen students walked out of the venue. Haidt advised graduates to “take control of your own attention” and “do hard things,” citing his research linking social media to declining attention spans and mental health. 

“What you pay attention to shapes what you care about, and what you care about shapes what you become,” Haidt said. “Some of the biggest corporations in human history, they’re not trying to earn your attention. They’re not trying to deserve your attention — they’re trying to take it from you.” 

In his speech, Haidt recounted a course in which he encouraged students to disable their phone notifications and delete social media apps, in efforts to “reclaim” their attention from companies that monetize users’ focus and time — repeatedly citing Meta, which he said “is valued at well over $1 trillion even though few of us have given it any money.” 

Haidt received a Doctor of Humane Letters, presented by Stern professor Bruce Buchanan. He delivered the commencement address on behalf of this year’s three honorary degree recipients: Jacob Collier, a seven-time Grammy winner, NBA champion and Stern alum Mal Graham and Mary-Claire King, a geneticist celebrated for her groundbreaking cancer research. 

Students’ backlash over Haidt’s selection as speaker, citing his yearslong campaign against progressive university culture, has garnered national media coverage. In a May 5 letter, the Student Government Assembly’s Executive Committee urged administrators to reconsider their selection before the ceremony, calling Haidt’s platform misaligned from graduates’ experiences amid “sustained attacks on higher education and the global unraveling of diversity, equity and inclusion.” 

“Graduates have heard from prime ministers, presidents, Supreme Court justices, movie stars and — of course — Taylor Swift,” Haidt said. “So, I know what you’re all thinking: ‘Thank God they finally found a social psychologist.’” 

The Stern professor co-founded a college that aims to combat “illiberalism” and “wokeism” in 2021, a few years after launching the nonprofit Heterodox Academy to bolster “viewpoint diversity” in academia. He drew controversy in 2022 after refusing to write a statement on equity and inclusion for a social psychology research conference, arguing that mandatory diversity statements “force many academics to betray their quasi-fiduciary duty.” Haidt also faced criticism in 2014 for holding a lecture many students found homophobic after he played a video comparing incest to gay sex. 

In February, the university launched NYU IRL — an initiative promoting device-free spaces and events on campus so students reduce their technology usage — inspired by Haidt’s scholarship. His 2024 book “The Anxious Generation” has been a New York Times nonfiction bestseller for two years and sparked a movement, financially supported by the Stern School of Business, that advocates for phone-free schools and social media age restrictions. 

This year’s graduation season brought heightened tension as NYU reshaped its policies. Although Steinhardt graduate Armaan Gupta spoke at Thursday’s ceremony, the university banned live student speeches at its school-based celebrations following backlash for its response to a speaker’s pro-Palestinian remarks last year. NYU also canceled affinity graduation ceremonies in February — citing the “current political climate” — before inviting students to new identity-based celebrations. In last week’s statement, student government leaders said there is a “growing consensus across campus” that Haidt’s selection illustrates the university’s goal of “amplifying a single narrative while simultaneously averting risk.” 

“You’ll face the unique challenges that have arisen for your generation,” Haidt said, concluding the speech. “But, if you treasure your attention and then use it to do hard things in real life with other people, then — and trust me on this, as a social psychologist — your life is going to be amazing.”

Contact Aashna Miharia at [email protected].