Many older generations are claiming that teens in this generation are "soft" and "lazy;" however, this generation has had to deal with a pandemic amongst many other major events. Young people today are dealing with issues of gender equality, unemployment, mental health, climate change, etc.
While we as a society have come farther into giving women the same opportunities as men, there are still a lot of disparities. For students, Title IX was put into effect to prevent discrimination based on sex. While 63% of Americans are saying that it has brought a positive impact, 46% of women still feel that more should be done (according to the first link). There are still many women who don't get a fair opportunity even with Title IX in place. Young women today are still fighting to get the same opportunities as men.
One of the biggest issues right now is slowly coming back to normal amid Covid-19. In 2020, the percentage of youth who were not in school or working went up by 8% in June (see second link). In 2021, however, there was a comeback. The rate of teens who had summer jobs was 36.6% (see third link), which was the highest rate since 2008. As we can see, adolescents today are resilient and keep moving forward even with a pandemic being thrown at them. Because of the pandemic, young people today had to stay indoors for a year. Due to quarantine and witnessing the quick rise of deaths among their own personal issues, many high schoolers are dealing with mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and stress (37% according to a CDC survey). Teens today are strong, though, and are seeking help to get through their problems. There are ads on social media with links to find therapy, or reminders to go outside and get fresh air. A lot of our youth are posting their experiences and how they got through them in hopes that it can help other people know they aren't alone. Young people today are selfless, caring, and getting rid of taboos that needing mental help is bad.
Young people today are not only experiencing new major events at a rapid rate, but they are also working together to get through it and bring in the change they want to see. They are finding their own beliefs and values, even if it isn't the same as their parents. They help each other through social media and engage with others to fight for what they believe in. They are making sure they are heard and are ready to do what needs to be done to make the world a better place.
Reference links:
How Americans view Title IX, its effect on gender equality | Pew Research Center
28% of young adults are not working or in school during COVID-19 in US | Pew Research Center
Teen summer employment rises after slump early in COVID pandemic | Pew Research Center
37% of U.S. high schoolers face mental health struggles amid COVID most or all the time, CDC finds | Pew Research Center
Gen Z, Millennials Stand Out for Climate Change Activism, Social Media Engagement With Issue | Pew Research Center
It is crazy to me that there are some people out there that think this generation of teens are lazy and soft. I personally have noticed how much stronger we (teens) have become in terms of getting our messages across and fighting for what we believe is right. I personally think a big advantage we have is the use of social media. Everyone uses social media to spread awareness and to voice their message. I remember many of my friends telling me about how they would go to protests and fight for what they believed no matter what the consequences may be. I think that is a part of who we are. We as the upcoming generation, will not stand and accept the wrong that is happening around. Overall, I think we are stronger as a community and we look to support and help each other in any way possible so to me I don't understand why we can be seen as soft or lazy.
ReplyDeleteHello Estefany, thank you for sharing your information! It was very insightful and I was able to make connections. It's very sad how 46% of women feel like more should be done. Even after all these years, we unfortunately still suffer from inequality and discrimination not only in education, but also in the workforce, social media, etc. Moreover, people calling our generation "lazy" is such a horrible thing! Personally, I see lots of people on Facebook news post saying some negative things about our generation. For example, in an article called "If Your Co-Workers Are ‘Quiet Quitting,’ Here’s What That Means", people are angry at many young employees for quietly quitting. However, I believe people are starting to silently fight for better wages, less hours, equality, and some of them are starting unions. On TikTok, I've seen people people showing videos of "A Day In My Life" and they work two jobs while going to school! We fight for ourselves and each other when it comes to the workforce.
ReplyDeleteWhile many of the older generation tend to call this generations of teens “soft” or “lazy” I would say they are fighters. Going just off the past previous years many teens would have gone through many life changing and eye opening events. These events have shaped and helped given a voice to many teenagers. Many teenagers are not afraid anymore to find their identity and fight for what they believe in. In the blog post you mention how social media ads provide links for selfcare and help with mental health and I believe social media has given many teens a way to get help and fight for what they believe in. With social media everything is now instant. We can see a live feed from all the way from local news to huge world events in an instant. Even with social media being around for some time now you can still see that some older people do not understand it or choose not to see the benefits. Social media gives that exposure to teens about what is happening around the world. We are all now able to speak a voice on a topic and even in some cases report news. It is truly a powerful tool!
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this blog, I can say that today's generation is very strong and ready to change the world. As you said, there have been a lot of obstacles like pandemic, but that never stopped those people fighting and protect their interests and future for others.
ReplyDeleteTo compare life before pandemic and after, I can see how young people became united and more caring toward each other. I believe that soon we will see much more change (in a good way), and that is because young generation is teaching us to become one and work together to make the world a better place.
The reason people think that this generation of teens is "soft" and "lazy", soft because most teens are sensitive and get depressed and isolated quicker then the past generations and lazy because they lack discipline and procrastinate most of the time. But on the other hand these teens would fight for their own right and the rights of their society. During the #blacklivesmatter moment we could see teenagers standing on the first lines. When it comes to injustice and human rights teenagers will be the first ones to fight. The next generations are always better then the previous generations. Teens do not care a bout ethnic differences, they are financially independent, also teens have earned the right to choose their own career. Which is why the label of being "soft" and "lazy" does not apply to the teens of this generation.
ReplyDeleteOlder generations tend to believe teens and young adults are "sensitive" or "lazy" because they grew being punished for taking time for themselves. Every new generation is judged for being different than the one before. The new generation is trying to make a name for itself, but of course their is going to be loads of criticism mainly from older generations. With new technology and societal standards, Gen Z and Millennials are going to be different. However it has been incredibly more advanced than generations before. There is such a stark difference from the new generations than any other generations before.
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