Gen-Zeitgeist
“The kids these days,” is a lazy and dismissive maxim to throw at a rising generation. Not only is it a tone-deaf response, but it ignores the fact that we were all once “the kids.” Whether we rocked out to grunge or listened to power ballads, we have all considered ourselves the underdog; a scrappy, soon-to-be hero clawing out their rightful spot in the cultural narrative. Gen-X obtained the status of institution smashers while Millennials became notorious for their unwillingness to be a company man. As the first Gen-Z graduates emerge into the world they begin to follow in the footsteps of previous generations. Yet, what will their legacy be?
It is commonly understood that art imitates life. The art a culture produces reflects the popular ideas and philosophies of the time. The German philosopher Nietzsche defined the intersection of the intellect, philosophy, and art of a culture as the zeitgeist, the “spirit of the age.” This spirit dominates the minds of a particular era in history. Any competent observer has noticed that the global order is under siege. A land war in Europe, a restive China, high inflation reminiscent of the 1970s, and constant political protests at home reminds everyone that nothing is settled. Into this uncertain world, Gen-Z has come of age.
Experts commonly describe Gen-Z as ranging from 1997-2012. The oldest have just graduated college. In their newfound freedom is the realization that they ought to do something; obtain a job, start a career, or invent a new app. It is a daunting task to be sure and yet one that all generations have faced. The stark difference is how. Gen-Z has never known a world without interconnectivity. Instant information and gratification is its hallmark. Likes, emojis, and frowny faces dictate the social pecking order. Since the iPhone was introduced in 2007, this generation has all joy and strife at their fingertips. Terrorism, school shootings, riots, the latest fad diet, or skincare routine is available for immediate consumption. Furthermore, well-intentioned “snowplow” parents remove all obstacles in their way. Thus a generation, unaccustomed to overcoming their own challenges, is left to face the existential abyss that surrounds them alone and unprepared. Their zeitgeist is being smothered by dread.
During difficult moments in time, music is the best mode to wrestle with contrasting ideas.. Recently musicians like AJR, Olivia Rodrigo, and Em Beihold, explore the existential crises that affect Gen-Z and respond with apathy, anger, and pills.
The first response is to resign from existence. Removing oneself from the world ensures that you survive. AJR perfects this self-preserving apathy in their song, “Netflix Trip.” It begins with the main singer describing pivotal life moments as they correspond with TV episodes. For example, it starts “I had my first crush in season two [...] She moved away I was on season three / It hit my heart so hard I'd hardly speak / But I could find some peace and privacy / A paper company to sit with me.” It is not uncommon for generations to find solace in art forms, however, the Gen-Z emphasis on the crucial role of television displays an extreme loneliness. The fact that he is sitting with a fictional company instead of friends nursing an elementary heartbreak is devastating. The absorption into fantasy comes full circle during the bridge when AJR provides a rash of rhetorical questions that exhibit how far their generation has fallen into depression: “But who are we to wonder where we're going? Who am I to tell me who I am?” Is a pop song really hearkening back to Descartes’ famous proclamation “I think therefore I am?” Intentionally or not, AJR seems to be utterly contradicting Descartes. In brief, Descartes argued that existence stemmed from the fact that a person thinks. A thought is pure being and if a person thinks he is bringing being into existence. Therefore, if he thinks he must exist. Descartes disrupted centuries of philosophy with his conclusion and threw the doors open for the oft quoted idea, “you can be whatever you put your mind to.” On the other hand, AJR claims that their thoughts have no power. The mind has no right to label anything about their personality or actions. Is it right? Is it wrong? Who am I to judge? AJR's conclusion is that a person simply drifts through life with no conscious direction or personal development. In this mindset, there is no potential. Drifting is the only goal. If there is no potential then there is no hope. If there is no hope there is no reason to strive. A generation who subscribes to such a philosophy is bound to achieve nothing.
As life is aimless so are relationships. Gen-Zers flow from one relationship to another in rapid succession. Entering into this revolving door is the unproved fact that every romantic relationship is destined to collapse. Olivia Rodrigo's debut album, Sour, exhibits this phenomenon. An album almost exclusively about break ups, Sour portrays romance as inevitably disappointing. Rodrigo admits that even when you are dating someone you can never be sure that they’re true. Take, for example, her song “Traitor.” The song revolves around the fact that her man moved on too quickly after their relationship ended. Since it “took two weeks / To go off and date her” he must have been secretly cheating on her the whole time. She insinuates that she always knew when she sings, “brown guilty eyes and little white lies / Yeah, I played dumb but I always knew / That you'd talk to her, maybe did even worse / I kept quiet so I could keep you.” If she actually believed her own assumptions it would have been better for Rodrigo to dump the bum and move on with her life. Yet her own lyrics contradict her conclusion when she admits, “Guess you didn't cheat / But you're still a traitor.” It is as if she rather he actually be a cheater than simply someone who did not choose her.
All relationships require risk and leaves open the potential for injury or solace. It is a gamble worth taking. Still when someone is rejected it undoubtedly hurts. However, being vulnerable and trusting is essential to any and all relationships. You cannot love someone over a giant, concrete wall. Yet Gen-Zers would rather build their wall and love carefully from thirty feet in the air. Perceiving relationships to be inevitably toxic means that Gen-Z will, eventually, be unable to love anyone but themselves.
Sincerely believing that life is pointless and relationships will inevitably disappoint wreaks havoc on your psyche. Strong social ties with a moral framework provides guidance in challenging circumstances. However, Gen-Zers were never taught how to deal with typical adult pressures and now are left alone to figure it out. Em Beihold's “Numb Little Bug,” unleashes the hopelessness of an entire generation. The opening line aptly describes their collective emotional state, “I don't feel a single thing/ Have the pills done too much?” It is well known that this generation is over prescribed. High doses of potent drugs diminish a person's ability to regulate normal feelings resulting in the deadening of emotions. Being unable to feel normally intensifies isolation as Beihold points out, “Haven't caught up with my friends in weeks / And now we're outta touch.” Pure isolation is the quickest way for an entire generation to lose its collective mind which is expressed in the entirety of the chorus:
“Do you ever get a little bit tired of life /
Like you're not really happy, but you don't wanna die
Like you're hanging by a thread, but you gotta survive /
cause you gotta survive.
Like your body's in the room, but you're not really there /
Like you have empathy inside but you don't really care /
Like your fresh outta love, but its been in the air /
Am I past repair?”
The fact that Beihold's song is so popular is disturbing. If she is correct, thousands of newly minted adults are stumbling through life like zombies developing no strong emotional, social, or personal connections. Their despair is intensified by the fact that they understand they are missing out on previous generations' ideals. A shred of hope might lie in the final question, “Am I past repair?” For a second, the singer plays with the idea of self-betterment. Would she feel this way if she changed course? In the end, the listener is disappointed by her conclusion: “The prescriptions on its way / With a name I can't pronounce / And the dose I gotta take / Boy, I wish that I could count.”
Gen-Z has been fatally unprepared for their role in the world. As a result, they are unable to respond effectively and, if it persists, they will not leave a legacy. Their zeitgeist will simply disappear.