"We're not like that!"
Like the young ravens…
Over the past few months, author Robert Schneider has met with young people and asked them to tell him how they see the world, what they dream of and what they want to achieve. The series is now coming to an end - and Robert Schneider takes another look back.
In around twenty interviews, I tried to trace Generation Z, or Zoomers as they are colloquially known. This is the generation that was born between 1997 and 2012 (Pew Research Center, Chicago) and grew up with a smartphone. In the study by youth researcher Klaus Hurrlemann and journalist Erik Albrecht ("Generation Greta", Beltz, 2020), which is well worth reading, the authors come to the conclusion that this generation is no longer so much about top grades and excellent school results, but more about being judged outside the school system. It is also no longer necessarily desirable to obtain a university entrance qualification in order to earn a veritable income, as can already be seen in many craft businesses. Marc Goergen from "Stern" even sees this as an explanation for the high level of political commitment of Generation Z. "(...) The optimization of the CV is no longer the sole goal, but also: to improve the world."
These observations are consistent with the conversations I have had with young people over the past six months, although the series of interviews is not representative and does not claim to be. The interviewees were mainly young people between the ages of 16 and 18 who attend a grammar school. However, I placed particular emphasis on including people with a migrant background, as society in Vorarlberg has undergone an enormous transformation in this respect over the past 15 years.
Optimizing the life course is no longer the only goal, but also: to improve the world.
Marc Goergen („Stern“)
What is striking is the thoroughly positive, even relaxed world view of young people, despite the hotbeds of war in this world and the threatening scenarios caused by climate change. None of those I interviewed expressed any fears about the future, although there was a difference between men and women. Female young people seem to be more concerned about climate change, the increasing political upheavals, the gender debate and the use of digital media. The magical term "digital detox", i.e. the attempt to distance oneself from the digital world and impose self-imposed screen time on oneself, was even the topic of the pre-scientific work of one of the young people interviewed. Together with her friend, she withdrew to the Buddhist monastery at Letzehof for two weeks to experience what it means to "live like my grandparents".
Being embedded in a religion that can still be experienced and practiced has almost completely disappeared. This applies to both the Christian and - surprisingly - the Muslim faith. Although young people are still part of a religious tradition through their parents and grandparents, they all describe themselves as agnostic or atheist. I did not see any confirmation of the widespread allure in social media of creating a kind of tinkered religion. Young people today seem to be completely secularized, their basic moral values are the democratic values of our society.
When asked about their political orientation, the majority of female respondents said they were center-left, while I was able to identify either a lack of interest or a center-right position among the young men. With the exception of one young man who decidedly wants to become a shaping force in politics (ÖVP), the other respondents felt tired of this topic.
A certain amount of fatigue was also evident when it came to the gender debate. Although the educational institutions are diligently gender-bending, one student from BG-Lustenau summed up her discomfort. She didn't care at all whether her counterpart felt generic as a chair or homosexual. It all depends on a person's character, said the young woman. Both men and women found gender-appropriate spelling tedious, but have, it seems, come to terms with it.
For me, as a member of the so-called baby boomer generation, the answers regarding my later career choice were very revealing. There is obviously no longer an urgency to earn prestige and prosperity through one's profession. The thesis of my generation, which was to maintain the prosperity achieved by the children, plays no role at all for the Zoomers. One pupil from the Dornbirn-Schoren grammar school summed it up like this: "When I see how much time my parents have spent maintaining their financial status, less is more for me. Then I'd rather accept financial losses."
Free time is considered by many to be the greatest good. Accordingly, most students also stated that they wanted to travel after their A-levels. The pressure of having to know at the age of seventeen where their future career would take them was practically non-existent. It was also noteworthy that young people do not see any distinction between completing a degree and completing an apprenticeship. Many can well imagine starting an apprenticeship after completing their A-levels. Educational "musts" such as attending concerts, operas, theaters or literary diligence were practically non-existent. For the young people, this is water under the bridge.
What struck me in particular was the consistently positive mood of the young people and - associated with this - a very humorous, sometimes even detached view of the world. This can certainly be explained by the early onset of digital media consumption. This generation has grown up faster than previous generations. It is charming, savvy and has a certain tendency towards stoicism.
Sentences from the Gospel
As someone who was socialized in a Catholic context, the wonderful sentences from the Gospel of Luke (12, 23 f.) came to mind when I was reading the interviews: "For life is more than clothing, and the body more than food. Look at the ravens: They do not sow, they do not reap, they have no cellar or barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more are you than the birds!"
Finally, I would like to thank all the young people for their courage and openness. This was the first time they had ever been interviewed in a newspaper. Nervousness and excitement were often clearly noticeable. I would also like to thank the teachers at the schools in question, who were willing to help me, sometimes with a little "prodding".
This article has been automatically translated,
read the original article here.
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