Are the children having fun?
Welcome to the latest edition of The Gen Zer. This week we discuss health, fun, and phone use among young people. We also take a look at fundraising addiction, PowerPoint parties, and more…
Okay, I admit – I wasn’t entirely serious about the title. Like any generation, we Gen Zs are a mixed bunch, and transitioning to a healthier lifestyle doesn’t mean Necessary means that young people have less fun.
Es have However, there were numerous headlines on both topics. Generation Z values health. We go to therapy. We throw away our phones. We get a lot of fresh air. We are also regularly accused of being boring: we have abolished the house party, we don’t have sex, We leave drugs behind us and we spend all the time horizontally on our phones.
Is there any truth to these headlines – and if so, is there a connection? Are we having less fun? weil we are sensible and healthy?
Personally, I would like to believe that the opposite is true: we choose healthier habits weil We want more fun in our lives. Over the last decade, things like Covid 19 and social media have isolated us and created major barriers to fun. Generation Z and the Alphas who come after us are increasingly anxious, increasingly disconnected – and increasingly looking for an escape. It doesn’t have to be that way is a sentiment I see more and more. Even if we don’t remember the ’90s, we’ve still seen enough movies from that era to be able to imagine a time without social media, when you spent time with friends without a screen in sight, and weren’t exposed to depressing headlines 24/7.
back to the good old days?
A new book, The fearful generation by Jonathan Haidthas sparked debate across the country and beyond. Essentially, the book shows how social media, phone use, and risk-averse childhoods have contributed to a dramatic rise in anxiety among young people. It then offers practical strategies for how we can change things – many of which have to do with banning phones and social media for children and teens. Healthier habits for happier lives.
But is there any truth to the claim that mobile phones and social media are largely responsible for our poor mental health? Decca Aitkenhead, a journalist at The Sunday Times, recently decided to put these ideas to the test by bribing a group of teenagers to go without their smartphones for a month before going on an unsupervised camping trip together, just like in the good old days. The experiment makes for an exciting read. (For more information, see Here .)
It also gives a slightly terrifying insight into the impact of social media on teenagers: “If you follow every trend, you’re called a basic bitch. And if you don’t, you’re a weirdo. There’s no escaping it because your social popularity is totally tied to your social media. So if you don’t post anything, you’re going to be made fun of. But then if you lip-sync to the wrong song on TikTok, you’re going to be made fun of for the rest of the year.” All this from Rose, 18 years old. thirteen.
There is a feeling that the way we live may not be the best for us and that a healthier – and yes, happier — Lifestyle could be possible. Of the phone-free camping trip, one of the teens said it was “one of the best nights of the year, maybe even of life.” Being phone-free is something new now. Instead of scrolling or doing what they normally do, Zers are looking for new ways to spend their time.
As well Many members of Generation Z avoid clubbing. Partly this is down to simple financial concerns (the price of a pint has more than doubled in the last two decades), but another reason is that many Zers don’t want to sacrifice their Saturday morning just to go out on a Friday night. Instead, they want to start the weekend with a run in the park or a fitness class.
Again this could might be seen as an obvious case of sacrificing “fun” in favor of health, but I think exercise is only part of the reason so many young people are taking up running at the moment. The other big reason is to meet people: running groups are now seen as a great place to make new friends (or even find someone to go out with, for better or worse). Isolated Gen Zers are taking new classes not so much to focus on themselves but to reclaim the social lives that previous generations took for granted. With the loss of third places, we’re going out of our way to find each other, and things like fitness classes, dance classes and art classes are increasingly filling that niche. (Not to mention reading groups.)
Another great example of combining health and fun is food. Research from Ketchum shows that 82% of Gen Z enjoy cooking and 70% are willing to trust a food trend and follow food influencers. From #girldinner to #tiktokfood, Gen Zs are learning new recipes and getting together to cook for friends. Dinner parties are back in style – a host of new apps and initiatives are bringing inexperienced Gen Zs together. to help them find friends in a new city. We may not have as many house parties, but we still have fun.
video/7398893881170906400" data-video-id="7398893881170906400" data-embed-from="oembed" style="max-width:605px; min-width:325px;">Host an Italian themed dinner party with me!! This was seriously so sweet and so much fun 😋 I highly recommend it #dinner #dinnerpartyideen #hostingtipps #Recipes
Of course, there are many other factors to consider when it comes to the state of Gen Z. The double whammy of Covid lockdowns during our formative years (when we would otherwise have been out making friends and trying new things) and the ongoing cost of living crisis have created a generation that is both more socially anxious and more financially constrained, so it’s not entirely wrong to say that fun has fallen by the wayside.
Health is also a complicated situation. On the one hand, we’re drinking less. On the other, we’re vaping more. We’re paying more attention to our mental health and generally more comfortable talking about it, but that’s mostly because of how bad things have become. A decade ago, more than half of 18- to 26-year-olds in the US described their mental health as excellent. Today, that figure is down to just 15%.
But with a number of new initiatives, communities and policies aimed at putting socialising back at the centre, there is hope that things are changing for the better. The picture is complicated and the headlines are not always the most reliable (see above). But despite the bold claims about what exactly Generation Z is up to, there is hope that more fun is soon on the way for young people.
Generation Z loves to celebrate… with a 50-page PowerPoint presentation (Wall Street Journal)
Remember when I said Generation Z doesn’t party anymore? It turns out I was too quick to respond. Generation Z meets up with friends, carrying a remote control and a PowerPoint presentation. Read more
We are all “Doom Spending” (Heaven)
Financial anxiety is causing Gen Z and Millennials to spend impulsively, choosing short-term comfort over long-term stability. If you never buy a home, you might as well go on vacation. Read more
What is the reason for the new obsession with “raw dogging”? (tied up.)
The latest internet trend sees Gen Z flying “raw dogging” flights, which may not be what you think, but it’s good to know that bizarre internet challenges are still alive and kicking. Read more
Brands love influencers… until they get political (die new york times)
Apparently, marketing firms are now using AI to predict whether influencers will go political. In theory, that makes sense—brands love using influencers to market their products, but risk being tainted by the views of the influencers they work with—but using AI to give influencers a “brand safety” score? That definitely doesn’t sound dystopian at all. Read more
Generation Z is changing the way we send emails at work (fast company)
You probably don’t need an article to tell you this, but Generation Z is increasingly using emojis, slang, and abbreviations in their emails, ushering in the “slackification” of the workplace and a general decline in formality. Goodbye “best wishes,” hello “bless up,” “lukewarm regards,” and “stay cool.” Sorry, guys. Read more
That’s all for this week! Subscribe to get the latest news on Gen Z and youth culture and check out The common denominator for a weekly summary of the latest news, trends and food for thought.
