AS new generations emerge, they introduce fresh trends and discard old ones.

Each new generation has impacted the world in a unique way. Spanning from early adolescence to their late twenties, Generation Z comprises individuals born between 1997 and 2012. As of 2026, this cohort is entering the workforce, influencing politics and redefining social norms. Despite this growing influence, public discussion of Gen Z remains largely defined by stereotypes. Narratives oscillate between admiration and alarm, often obscuring the structural conditions shaping this generation’s outlook. Several commonly held beliefs about Gen Z dominate contemporary discourse. First, Gen Z is frequently portrayed as unusually fragile. Younger cohorts do report higher levels of stress, anxiety and psychological distress. However, framing this as an inherent weakness overlooks the disruptions that have marked Gen Z’s formative years. Economic volatility, pandemic-era uncertainty and prolonged educational and employment instability—particularly acute in many Global South countries —have normalized insecurity at an early age, making psychological strain less an anomaly than a predictable outcome.

A second narrative depicts Gen Z as politically disengaged or unserious. The evidence here is highly context-dependent. Across many societies, young people increasingly participate in politics through digital mobilization, issue-based campaigns and informal activism rather than traditional party structures. In settings where institutional trust is low and political access is uneven—as is common across much of the developing world—this shift reflects........

© Pakistan Observer