By Hishaam Hussain –
“Young people are high minded because they have not been humbled in life, nor have they experienced the force of circumstances”-Aristotle
The problems we face:
Gen-Z are the future of our society, so why are attitudes towards our generation so fatalistic? Analysing the current issues faced by our latest generation. We can see how spaces like social media and the internet have contributed to the pessimism Gen-Z’ers are regarded with.
Specifically, materialism, lack of religious belief, abundance of knowledge, vanity, and modern relationships have all had a detrimental effect on the youth’s mental health. These factors in turn have stripped many Gen-Z’ers of purpose and direction.
Looking to the bright side Gen-Z has never been better equipped to tackle societies’ emerging and existing problems. The agency we possess to create change has never been more powerful. By highlighting the issues our generation faces only then can we carve the path forward.
The most Materialistic generation yet?
The rise of materialism within Gen-Z has been extrapolated by social media, as the material-centric nature of content has tricked them into thinking material purchases are an indicator of success.
Laurel Road, a digital banking platform, found that of the 2,000 Gen-Z individuals that were polled 72% revealed that managing their finances for the affordance of material items ‘is a strain on their mental health’.
This is significant to the mental strain these anxieties have on Gen-Z. But in the same study, it was found that although these stressors exist it motivated them to work hard to alleviate them. The conviction to strengthen their financial security and knowledge will make them more responsible adults as they begin to make professional wages.
If Gen-Z are informed of the psychological manipulation employed by this material-based content, they can take responsibility for their purchase decisions. Which should weaken their susceptibility to such marketing propaganda.
Digital Overload:
With the ability to have access to the world’s knowledge with a swipe of a finger, it is easy to see why this has left many Gen-Z’ers feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of information being launched in their direction.
Morning Consult reports that most Gen-Z’ers spend more than four hours a day on social media. This is a consequence of the ‘doom scrolling’ many of us are guilty of doing. This renders us unable to process the information because of the rate we are consuming the various bits of content.
A recent study found that of 130 people, who were asked where they consume their news content, 43% said Instagram and TikTok. This is a concerning statistic as the short-form nature of this content removes the key context needed to understand the wider body of information related to the topic in question.
Despite Gen-Z’ers being chronically online, they are the most educated generation of people with 59% seeking higher education and more than 33% seeking bachelor’s degrees. No previous generation has reached such a feat.
With the educated class of young people exercising critical thinking within their studying, this theoretically should translate into them being able to discern the lies they are being fed in the media.
But in practice, Gen-Z are quick to judge based on minuscule amounts of information. A Cambridge study found that ‘Gen-Z and millennials are more likely to fall for ‘Fake News’ than the older generations’ given that social media is their primary source for news.
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Lack of belief in a higher power?
With the UK public being identified internationally as the least likely to be religious, it is understandable that Gen-Z suffers from a lack of direction and spiritual guidance. Which causes many to fall victim to unhealthy habits such as obsessive drinking, drugs, and violence.
However, it was found that 77% of Gen Z’ers identify as spiritual with 68% also considering themselves religious. This marks a momentous shift in the belief of a higher power which has also been proven to be one of the most effective strategies when breaking drug and alcohol addictions.
Experts believe that the increased isolation in the three years of COVID-19 pushed people to believe in something beyond themselves, given that the idea of ‘God’ is synonymous with the process of healing.
Those who claim to have a connection to a higher power have reported increased rates of mental and emotional flourishment. This echoes the power of faith for Gen-Z’ers because having something to lean on is comforting when traversing the uncertainties in life.
Love and Vanity:
In an age of Instagram and TikTok Gen-Z’ers have become increasingly superficial, and this has hindered their ability to form meaningful relationships. They are under constant social pressures to portray themselves in a certain light, in the digital age where they are under constant scrutiny and surveillance.
Although we have never been better connected, the connections created between people are only at face value. Vulnerability is perceived as weak in the eyes of many, leaving many afraid to share their honest thoughts and feelings as 40% of British teens are afraid of being ‘cancelled’ by their peers for having unconventional opinions.
Many Gen-Z’ers intense longing for external validation has led to a rise in inauthentic content. Specifically, Instagram photos are becoming heavily edited because young people are seeing their favourite role models post photos that, unbeknownst to them are heavily warped.
Gen-Z’ers then attempt to post their own at the detriment of their self-esteem.
To further extrapolate the social issues faced by Gen-Z’ers, the rise of ‘Manosphere’ content on social platforms has further confused young men. It has made them extremely wary of forging intimate connections with their gendered counterparts.
This is because of the fear that if they make an honest mistake, they will be outcast from society by movements like the ‘MeToo.’ Harming their prospects of creating a better future for themselves.
The fearful mentality has led many men to adopt the ‘black pill’ which is a nihilistic attitude to life that nothing matters. That deprives many Gen-Z’ers of positive thought. To add to this, the ‘red pill’ movement which pushes many men to seek the cold truth of the world has contributed to many men’s loss of direction and dwindling mental health.
Looking at the other side of the coin, the increasing growth of radical thinking within sects of modern feminism has been further popularised by TikTok.
Content that pushes the ‘boss bitch’ and ‘you don’t need no man’ mantras have perplexed many young women as they are being propelled with content that goes against their nature of wanting to build meaningful connections.
Adding to already plummeting levels of self-esteem, the lack of correct guidance means many young women and men look inward to the solution to their loneliness when it is a wider societal issue.
The toxically masculine and feminine undertones of this social media content have created a bridge between many young men and women that almost seems irreparable.
The Way Forward:
Is Gen-Z doomed? Not really. Now that we have highlighted the issues faced by this generation. We can already see the increasing pushback against many of these problems. The way forward is becoming clearer.
Materialism will always remain a key issue within a Capitalist society. but with Gen-Z’ers increasing awareness of the financial plight this can cause, there is a greater consideration taken to manage their finances.
Greater levels of spirituality and religion give many Gen-Z’ers the purpose and direction that they were once stripped of. This is a great vehicle in the battle for improved mental health, as it mitigates the youth from falling down the rabbit hole of drugs and alcohol.
Gen-Z has no time for those recreational activities, they are too busy taming the world’s infinite knowledge, as they are proven to be the most educated generation to date.
With authenticity on the rise in social media, the superficial nature of modern relationships is collapsing in favour of genuine connection. The ever-growing defiance towards toxic masculinity and femininity will rebuild bridges once burnt between young men and women.
Because we cannot fix society’s greatest issues divided. The agency we possess (yes I am Gen-Z!) for change is incomparable than any generation before.
But we must remain harmonious in the adversity of opinion. To begin to turn the gears for true change.
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