When generations change, they inherit the world in the state as the previous ones left it. Each of the generations had to manage multiple problems that were not necessarily the product of their actions – these problems are, to a certain degree, unique, resulting from a peculiar combination of societal, environmental, and political factors. Other challenges are not as peculiar to that generation but rather caused by the snowball effect. Consequently, when the problem reaches its peak, a generation that happens to live at this moment, cannot continue to neglect it as the previous generations did. Generation Z inherits the world that advanced immensely in terms of technology, medicine, and human rights; nevertheless, it still seems bleaker and more hopeless than, potentially, it did in the last seventy years. Currently receding economic, the decline of ecology, corrupted social hierarchy, and social media make the world seem somewhat inhospitable for Generation Z.
The generation in question was brought into the world that already was declared detrimentally affected by human activity, and this notion, partially, formed its views and perception. Global climate change is seemingly the major problem for Generation Z that requires a quick change in the lifestyle and the ways society functions overall. Although data confirming the change was available, approximately, since the middle of the last century, decades of claiming that ecological concerns were mere alarmism pushed the problem to the point of almost no return (Levy and Patz 2). Stopping these processes requires immediate intervention in the fundamental aspects of everyday life. Generation Z is viewed as more distrustful and critical of the government – the quality that differentiates it, for instance, from baby boomers. This mistrust is not unearned as the actions taken by the government to manage the effects of human activity on the environmental changes, among others, are scarce. Global climate change may not be a roadblock to success; it is still a roadblock to the future existence and a principal challenge that Generation Z is burdened with managing.
In the twenty-first century, how society views mental health has been to a degree altered. Emotional and psychological health gains more attention, whereas previously, it may have been overlooked. This change could be connected to the increasing gravity of the problem. Research shows that “10–20% of children and adolescents worldwide experience mental health problems. It is estimated that 50% of all mental disorders are established by the age of 14 and 75% by the age of 18” (Keles et al. 1). Clinical depression levels have augmented significantly since the beginning of this century, especially among teenagers and young adults, making it one of the most widespread diseases (Keles et al. 1). Mental health issues decrease life quality and satisfaction, which leads to lesser productivity in private and work spheres – this increasing number of individuals concerned with psychological health may pose an additional strain on the sector of public health. Therefore, mental health represents another issue that aggravates during Generation Z’s lifetime. Its causes may be linked to several other challenges that the generation encounters.
Social media changed how the generation perceives and interacts with the world. Generation Z, seemingly, is the first one that grows up with social media already in existence, making it an inherent part of the generation’s life. Social media platforms allow for, relatively, free expression of thoughts and provides a sense of communal support, which can be especially craved in earlier stages of psychological and emotional development. Despite being an instrument of progress, social media constitutes a challenge for mental well-being that people born since the end of the nineties may need to learn to navigate. The misuse of this technological advancement has been linked to depressive disorders, anxiety, and lowering self-esteem in young adults (Keles et al. 2). Social media may not be the cornerstone of the problem since the extent of its impact is yet to be determined; still, such phenomena as cyberbullying and canceling culture are particular to Generation Z. It is the first one that has to fully adapt to the impact of social media and find means to reduce its potential adverse effects on mental health.
COVID-19 pandemic is another problem, the damage of which, for Generation Z specifically, may be difficult to overestimate. The economic recession triggered by it may have left a colossal number of young adults only in the initial stages of their professional development without the prospect of a job. Unemployment may lead to missed years of professional development and practice, rendering the generation less competitive in the job market when the economy reopens. The state of mental and physical health is further deteriorated by unemployment, the rates of which reach record high at such times. Economic opportunities of the generation in comparison to baby boomers, for example, were less ample even before the pandemic began (McKechnie and Valdez 1099). As a consequence, the remote possibility of financial growth for Generation Z became even more distant. Moreover, the younger representatives of the generation may suffer from a job loss experienced by their parents, deteriorating their socioeconomic status, which adversely affects not only present but also their future living conditions.
In addition to the more evident challenges that current pandemic creates for Generation Z, such as economic uncertainty and loss of jobs, youth during this period may encounter difficulties in the social aspect of their lives that stem from the necessity of social distancing. In some cases, the stay-at-home orders bring a child under the threat of parental violence and abuse, as the home is not the safest place for every individual. Cohen and Adlin Bosk note that “adverse childhood experiences—including physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect—are common, with an estimated 678,000 children and adolescents experiencing maltreatment in 2018, and young children are at highest risk for serious harm” (p. 3). The pandemic enhanced the risks of maltreatment for already vulnerable demographic of youth –homeless young adults have a higher chance of being abused during this situation. Interactions with violent or verbally aggressive family members, who themselves undergo consequences of economic recession, may cause physical and psychological damage (Cohen and Adlin Bosk 6). In this way, somewhat younger members of Generation Z also experience an economic recession caused by the pandemic indirectly through their surroundings.
Lack of social connection provoked by the pandemic is not a positive influence on the Generation Z representatives who are in middle and high school. While the necessity to lead a social life is not exclusive to this age group, interacting with peers for this stage in social and physical development is essential for its successful completion (Hoffower par. 8). During challenging times, support of one’s community, apparently, often provided comfort and support. Its deficiency for those who did not reach adulthood may negatively impact their future psychological health. Hoffower states that “young adults who felt more connected at home and school as teens are less likely to experience mental health problems and risks” (par. 9). Therefore, the challenge that the pandemic presents for Generation Z manifests on different levels, decreasing the chances of finding a satisfying job, putting vulnerable category at higher risk, and impacting socio-emotional development.
Despite the significant progress that occurred since the middle of the last century, the state of human rights continues to be a field that needs improvement. Disparities between different population groups are not alleviated significantly, and the growing income discrepancy between social classes aggravates the sense of injustice that, seemingly, prevails in contemporary society. Generation Z is the one who may witness the spiking levels of income inequality incited by the current economic model (Levy and Patz 4). The problem of the imbalance between low-income and high-income is a continually growing one, and it may be a hurdle that this generation will have to overcome.
Considering the outlined information, Generation Z inherits several obstacles of environmental, economic, health-related, and social character that, in some cases, are the product of negligence of the previous generations. It may be that time when a change in how societies view the planet, and economic relations between classes will not be possible to delay further occurs during Generation Z’s lifetime. Climate change may be the most critical concern, the dimensions of which are only yet to be experienced and global solutions to be established. Generation Z could be considered the most advanced in terms of human rights appreciation and climate-awareness, reflecting the issues it will have to manage.
Works Cited
Hoffower, Hillary. “The Coronavirus Pandemic Has Fragmented Gen Z Into 4 Distinct Groups — and Each One is Dealing with a Different Set of Challenges”. Business Insider, 2020, Web.
Keles, Betul, et al. “A Systematic Review: The Influence of Social Media on Depression, Anxiety and Psychological Distress in Adolescents.” Journal of Adolescence and Youth, 2019, pp. 1–15.
Levy, Barry S., and Jonathan A. Patz. “Climate Change, Human Rights, and Social Justice.” Annals of Global Health, vol. 81, no. 3, 2015, pp. 1–13.
McKechnie, Sally, and Adriana Rodriguez Valdez. “Understanding Luxury Experiences Within the Lifeworlds of Millennials: An Extended Abstract.” Developments in Marketing Science: Proceedings of the Academy of Marketing Science, 2017, pp. 1099–1104.
Silliman, Rachel I., and Emily Adlin Bosk. ” Vulnerable Youth and the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Pediatrics, 2020, pp. 1–9.