By Zabih Ullah Khattak (Pakistan)
The hype around the Gen Z struggle makes everyone ponder and illustrate this generation of unpredictable humans. When time passes, Gen Z will be replaced by a new generation that could scold Gen Z and would call it conservative. Intellects and researchers are more conscious and have laced their expectations with them, but the situation seems grimmer as the approach of Gen Z is not long-lasting. I also inherit the Gen Z, but facts will not be veiled, and a day will come in which all these counterfeited approaches will be unveiled.
Although the above talk is challenging the status quo, a legitimate case is saying something shocking. This generation wants a shortcut to everything and impatience regarding results, even though the result might get better if left for some while. One can guess their patience by the reels they watch, in which they have retention for 5 to 15 seconds and then scroll down, while the millennials were getting days to watch a full 3-hour without deterring their attention for a second.
Three so-called revolutions led by this generation took enormous attention around the world and sent shock waves into the powerful quarters. But one can worry about their short-sightedness and unplanned approach because they toppled down Nepal, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh’s governments, but one can ask whether they achieved their core demands. Whether they still demand the same things or forgot about their rights? Whether they brought new faces into offices or still the same people with different faces? The answers to these queries are negative because neither they brought new faces, nor did they demand the same rights, and nor did they achieve their core demands.
It was a centuries-old tradition that those who were reading were the leaders and could take and make timely actions, and in a society where readers were present, the people were trying to get them for the fixation of problems or advice, while as the world changes faster, the approach of the people has transpired. In my teaching career, I recommend books related to every topic I explain, but beyond the fact that I am a teacher in one of the reputable institutions, I rarely come across those students who wish to read books. It is a matter of great concern that a bulge of the population is turning from reading to social media trolling, which could not reflect anything regarding intellectuality.
An elusive and unauthentic claim we are observing is Gen Z’s technological enhancement, because the pro-Gen-Z analysts are attributing the faster development to this generation’s struggle, while the fact is contrary to this, as one can delve down into the history of technological advancement. Lesser inventions can be attributed to this generation, while the world we look around is just the endeavors made by millennials. Although Gen Z brought upgradation, they are still backed by millennials. This generation is totally dependent on technology, especially the citizens of third-world countries where new approaches are not preferable. Countries like Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka are going through a murkier pace as they are trapped into two different paths. On one hand, global affairs are changing with bullet speed; on the other hand, preparation at home is not finished. Meanwhile, developing states do not prepare their citizens for the storm being evoked at the start of the 21st century.
From elite institutions to local government colleges, students are flip-flopping to ChatGPT or other AI models, and 5–10 percent of students are pondering to write assignments or read books for papers’ preparation, while the rest are taking shortcuts just to pass the examinations.
A research copy was considering the outcomes of one’s own sweats, and people were revering those who tried to do research because it was taking time and energy. While bringing the researches into the lowest ebb of authentication, students are trying to get rid of the proposal by copy-pasting data, which can’t be believed and shall not be used for policy implementation.
Concluding my expression, I extend my apology to those who are being hurt by my analyses, but I request my dear readers to take a deep sigh and close your eyes, then think of this generation. It will return you with the same pondering as I am because I also belong to this generation, which makes me wonder to think of the directions they are being taken. Good luck.
