The frustration, anger, and the need of the younger generation to be heard
In recent days, protests taking place in various countries have been in the spotlight. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets demanding better living conditions, economic security, changes in education, housing, and so on. But if there’s one thing that has piqued interest, it’s the fact that Gen Z is at the forefront of this whole movement. A generation that many characterized as apathetic—believing it to be indifferent to political events—has mobilized thousands of people to rise up. But what is the reality? Is this truly a generation that stays away from politics, or does it simply participate in a different way? So what exactly sparked this wave of outrage?
Speaking to “Alpha on Sunday,” Panagiotis Stavrinidis, a professor of psychology at the University of Cyprus, stated that, behind Gen Z’s intense reaction lies a combination of social problems affecting young people as well as psychological factors that shape their attitudes and reactions.
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The psychological factors
In particular, as Mr. Stavrinidis explains, the key emotion that appears to trigger these reactions is frustration. This is an emotion that can have significant consequences for young people. It can lead to intense, even violent reactions. This happens because people are led to believe that any efforts they make are doomed to failure.
Youth and Social Exclusion
Many young people experience a sense of social exclusion. Exclusion, as Mr. Stavrinidis notes, can shape young people’s identity. More specifically, it may lead them to identify themselves as marginalized. In other words, they often feel that they are being treated unfairly by those in power, and instead of viewing the state as an ally that will support them in building their future, they perceive it as an authoritarian authority that restricts them.
Gen Z and Apathy
Many characterize Gen Z as an apathetic generation when it comes to political issues. According to Mr. Stavrinidis, it is not necessarily true that behaviors perceived as indifference are actually such. He explains that such behaviors may simply reflect the difficulty older generations have in understanding how young people think.
Violent Reactions and Vandalism
Various videos are circulating online that document incidents of violence and vandalism during the protests. What drives some people to behave this way? As Mr. Stavrinidis explains, a large protest brings together people with different ways of expressing themselves and different levels of self-control. For example, one protester may express dissatisfaction with certain social issues through slogans, while another protester may resort to violent acts. This, as he notes, is related to each individual’s ability to control their emotions. Within the context of anonymity and crowd psychology, some individuals may resort to violent acts. However, Mr. Stavrinidis states that, “it would be unfair to consider these behaviors the defining characteristic or identity of the protest.”
Gen Z and Politics
At the same time, of course, the question arises as to whether the younger generation is simply engaging with politics in different ways. In remarks to “Alpha on Sunday,” Associate Yiannos Katsouridis, Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Nicosia, states that the younger generation is not apathetic toward politics. What appears to be the case is that they understand and participate in politics, simply in ways that differ from those of older generations. They may participate in political events, either through the internet and social media or by taking part in demonstrations and other forms of collective action, while at the same time showing no interest in traditional forms of politics. For example, they may not want to join traditional political parties or participate in standard electoral processes.
What sparked the protests
In many countries, we see thousands of protesters taking to the streets. But what exactly sparked the public’s outrage? Mr. Katsouridis notes that it is a combination of social issues and the way democracy is experienced today. In fact, he notes that there is a wide gap between citizens and political institutions. This is evident in the lack of trust and the feeling that the decisions being made do not serve the public interest.
The Awakening of the Younger Generation
In seeking the deeper causes of the recent phenomenon of young people flooding the streets, Mr. Katsouridis appears to agree with Mr. Stavrinidis’s view, noting that the younger generation is experiencing a strong sense of frustration. “This is the generation that is experiencing the breakdown of a social contract that existed for decades—namely, that through our education and work, we would live better lives than our parents. That is no longer the case today.” He adds that there is a significant gap between what young people expect from democracy and what they experience in their daily lives. More specifically, they feel that political institutions are out of step with their needs and expectations, that political parties do not represent them, and that governments do not respond to their demands.
The Culture of Protest in France
France has historically been one of the European countries with a strong tradition of social protest. As Mr. Katsouridis notes, France, since the French Revolution, has maintained a tradition in which social protest is part of political participation and the means by which political demands are expressed.
The likelihood of escalation
A reasonable question that arises is how likely it is that the current protests will grow in scale. Mr. Katsouridis points out that it is not unlikely that the situation could worsen, though we cannot predict it with certainty. “We have seen waves of protests from time to time in Europe, which eventually subsided. However, the rise in inequalities at so many levels and the problems within political systems—beyond social inequalities— indicate that these cycles of protest will recur or continue.”
