The focus in these texts, which are strung together, is placed on the so-called “Gen Z”. These are people born between 1997 and 2012. They are mostly the children of Generation X. As a result, various social anthropological characteristics can be attributed to this still young generation. Their characteristics are reaching from extremely good abilities to handle digital technologies to the imposed ability to handle performance pressure and suffering and/or profit from an academic world.
Almost a third of all people worldwide belong to Generation Z, and they are the ones who could make our society fit for the future – if only they were allowed to. Today’s 10- to 27-year-olds are characterised by concerns about their environment and the highest rate of mental illness to date. At the same time, they are more networked and technologically fit than any generation before them – they are the first true digital natives.
But with values or worldview was given to the Gen Z from their parents. While the technical devices have changed, the way of consumptions stayed the same or increased by the ongoing globalization. Status symbols developed into objects of desire and were more important than political engagement. With the arrival of the television as a mass medium, Generation X experienced the transition from analogue to digital media. Later, e-mail and the mobile phone also represented important means of communication. The uncertain times surrounding the East-West conflict created a certain pessimism.
Generation Z’s anxieties are reinforced by the fact that they perceive news in a different way than their parents or grandparents did at the same age; young people consume content on social issues and events almost constantly. With just a smartphone, people can access a buffet of reports 24/7 through social media, search engines, news sites and television. Social media is fast overtaking traditional news channels among young people. According to broadcast regulator Ofcom, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube are now the three most used news sources for UK young people, while older generations who grew up consuming news through print media, radio and television still prefer these traditional channels.
» Among 14- to 25-year-olds, TikTok is even the most-used app, ahead of YouTube and Instagram. “This is huge when you consider that TikTok is only four years old,” says study author Magnus Folten from WeCreate. “No platform has grown that fast before.” Nearly 18 percent of the time 14- to 37-year-olds spend on their mobile phones goes to TikTok. Instagram, YouTube and TikTok combined account for more than half. The latter services in particular have lost out to the competition from Beijing. What interests young people most in social media are not so much the socially relevant topics: According to the survey, environmental and climate protection came in a distant ninth, while fashion, video games and music were mentioned much more frequently. «
writes the german newspaper “Der Spiegel” on the 02.12.2022.
