In South Africa and across the globe, we’re facing a growing crisis: an alarming rise in anxiety and depression among our brightest young people. While numerous factors contribute to Teen Mental Health and new age atheism, we must also examine the intellectual landscape shaping their understanding of the world and their place within it. There’s a concerning trend of teenagers gravitating towards authors who promote a purely materialistic worldview, and we need to consider the potential impact this has on their mental well-being.

We are witnessing an ever-increasing crisis of Teen Mental Health and new age atheism seen through the crisis of spirit among our brightest youth, who battle anxiety and depression while learning from profoundly negative teachers. The purely materialistic worldview popularized by figures like Richard Dawkins, #SamHarris, and Daniel Dennett fosters a landscape of meaninglessness, risking a generation that is brilliant in mind but broken in spirit.

The Shadow of Meaninglessness: Are Prominent Atheist Authors Harming Teen Mental Health?

The movement these authors represent, often called “New Atheism,” is distinct from earlier forms of atheism. Its primary characteristics are a confident assertion that no supernatural or divine reality exists, that religious belief is inherently irrational, and a reliance on a universal, objective secular morality. This framework uses natural science as its primary tool, not just to critique religious belief but to explain its origins as a product of biological evolution. For many young people, this scientific framing gives these arguments an authoritative weight, making them feel like undeniable truths rather than philosophical positions.

However, the aggressive, often mocking tone of the New Atheist movement has contributed to its own decline. Instead of engaging in polite, reasoned debate, it adopted a vitriolic rhetoric, famously encapsulated by subtitles like How Religion Poisons Everything. This approach ultimately failed to offer a cohesive, coherent worldview to replace the religious frameworks it sought to dismantle. Without a positive alternative, it naively assumed that a decline in religion would automatically lead to a rise in pure rationality. Instead, as history shows, when one belief system is removed, another — often just as dogmatic — rushes in to fill the void.

“What this all goes to show is that nonsense remains nonsense, even when talked by world-famous scientists. What serves to obscure the illogicality of such statements is the fact that they are made by scientists; and the general public, not surprisingly, assumes that they are statements of science and takes them on authority. That is why it is important to point out that they are not statements of science, and any statement, whether made by a scientist or not, should be open to logical analysis. Immense prestige and authority does not compensate for faulty logic.”
― John C. Lennox, God and Stephen Hawking

There is a new #atheistic and materialist agenda affecting Teen Mental Health and new age atheism. Bright, young minds are being polluted to the point of feeling suicidal and hopeless. It’s a tragic irony that our most intelligent young people are falling into anxiety and nihilism, often finding validation for these feelings in the writings of these authors. The trend of youngsters sharing books, philosophies, and insights from these authors to explain the new world is definitely having an impact on mental health. When you hear the nihilistic preaching of negative youngsters battling in recovery, look around for one of these authors’ books. Odds are, one will be close at hand.

The New Rage against Sage

It’s understandable why young, questioning minds might be drawn to seemingly rational and evidence-based critiques of traditional beliefs. However, when these critiques dismantle traditional sources of meaning — such as faith, spirituality, and inherent purpose — without offering a hopeful or transcendent alternative, they can inadvertently create a void. This void can be particularly dangerous for adolescents who are already grappling with identity formation, existential questions, and the pressures of modern life.

The relentless assertion that the universe is ultimately meaningless, that consciousness is merely a byproduct of physical processes with no inherent value, can be a heavy burden for a young person to bear. It can foster a sense of alienation, a feeling that life is devoid of purpose beyond mere biological imperatives. This can contribute to feelings of hopelessness, anxiety, and even suicidal ideation in vulnerable individuals.

“There’s a tragic irony in seeing our most intelligent young people fall into anxiety and nihilism to the severe detriment of their mental health. They are often led there by teachers who, influenced by thinkers like Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, and Daniel Dennett, dismantle traditional sources of meaning without offering a hopeful alternative. This intellectual trend is creating a new generation of cynics, and we must question the ultimate cost of an education that teaches how to think but not how to live.”

Mark L Lockwood BA(hons(psy)

As parents, educators, and caregivers here in Plettenberg Bay and beyond, we need to be aware of the intellectual influences on our teenagers. It’s crucial to engage in open and honest conversations about the ideas they encounter. We should encourage critical thinking, but also help them explore perspectives that offer meaning, connection, and hope.

“I don’t think there is a good argument for atheism. I think it’s based on a fundamental misunderstanding about the nature of the world” — Dr. Jordan B Peterson.

This isn’t about shielding young people from challenging ideas. Rather, it’s about ensuring they have a balanced intellectual diet that includes perspectives that affirm the human need for purpose and connection. It’s about fostering resilience and inner strength, so they can navigate complex ideas without succumbing to nihilism and despair.

We must ask ourselves when it comes to Teen Mental Health and new age atheism: are we equipping our youth with the tools to not only understand the world, but also to find joy, meaning, and hope within it? An education that solely focuses on materialistic explanations may leave them intellectually sharp but emotionally adrift.

Let’s prioritize the mental well-being of our teenagers by fostering environments where they can explore a wide range of perspectives, engage in meaningful dialogue, and discover sources of purpose and hope that resonate with them. The crisis of spirit we are witnessing demands a thoughtful and compassionate response that addresses both the intellectual and emotional needs of our youth.

“The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven,” — John Milton.

Friedrich Nietzsche and contemplative conclusions

To conclude it is important to remember a story that influenced the world that I personally will never forget. A story that changed the world so much that we can still see those changes as evidence today.

Friedrich Nietzsche did not directly cause the World Wars, but he had a hand in it, much like I am suggesting Sam Harris and Dawkins have their hands in the mental health of folks today.

Nietzsche’s philosophy was misused and misinterpreted by aggressive nationalists like Hitler who promoted war, and a nationalistic and militaristic agenda. While Nietzsche himself was often critical of German nationalism and militarism, his ideas, especially concepts like the Übermensch and the Will to Power, were twisted to justify war and aggressive power. His ideas are used by the failing satanisim sects that are trying to influence otehrs, particularly the youth of a new philosophy, stolen and twisted by that of Nietzsche. Harris and the crew have all used Nietzsche as a platform to sell their books and ideas to a world in crisis — mental health crisis at the very least.

In many ways, Friedrich Nietzsche is a personal hero of mine. He was acutely aware of the potential for his work to be dangerously misinterpreted, fearing his philosophy would be wielded by the wrong hands. Tragically, his fears were realised posthumously when his sister, Elisabeth Förster-Nietzsche, distorted his legacy to align with Nazi ideology, even presenting his works to Hitler. This corruption of a complex thinker’s legacy serves as a stark historical parallel to the negativity I see spreading today by the new atheist movement that specifically targets venerable youth through mental health manipulation for book sales.

As a lifelong Christian and mystic who treats adolescent mental health at the highest level possible at our youth clinic in South Africa , I acknowledge my bias, but I see a similar “shadow of meaninglessness” being cast by some modern atheist authors, which I believe is harming the mental health of our youth. This stands in stark contrast to the wisdom of history’s great spiritual teachers — figures like Buddha, Jesus, Gandhi, Confucius, and Martin Luther King Jr. Their teachings were not mere suggestions; they offered a foundational path to live with purpose and navigate life without succumbing to mental turmoil, moral decay, and the cynical spread of lies.

We have a profound responsibility to our children and teenagers. It is deeply troubling to encounter a bright but despondent young person clutching a book like Richard Dawkins’ The God Delusion, seemingly warped by what I can only describe as a bleak, violent and dismal agenda. When a young mind is struggling, I believe our task is to help them rediscover a framework for a mentally and spiritually healthy life, one filled with the hope and meaning that is their birthright. Only the truth will ever, ever, ever set us free. This is the difference between right and wrong, hope and hopelessness, truth and lies and mental suffering and mental health!

We hope you enjoyed Teen Mental Health and new age atheism. May the God of your understanding bless you richly as we all stay part of the solutions and not the problems we traverse in the world today.