🍋 Are Young People Overhated? Let's Discuss!

In my experience, the criticism that Gen Z and Gen Alpha receive often seems less about the individuals themselves and more about broader societal frustrations. For example, many of these young people grow up in underfunded schools and face a world that’s rapidly changing technologically and socially, which can be overwhelming. I’ve noticed that what some label as "brainrot" or superficial interests like skincare or online trends are often just youthful coping mechanisms or reflections of the environments they live in. Personally, I feel that adults sometimes forget how vulnerable children and teens are. When schools struggle due to political or economic pressures, and when home life is affected by parents needing to rely on devices to keep kids occupied, it’s unfair to blame the kids for the circumstances. Instead, we should be questioning the systems—like the predatory beauty industry or the decline of educational resources—that shape young people's experiences. Also, the generational shaming cycle is nothing new. My generation had our own trends and memes that older folks mocked just as harshly. What feels like "overhating" young people now is often a repeating pattern where older generations express their anxieties about cultural shifts by picking on the youth. Ultimately, approaching this debate with empathy and understanding benefits everyone. Recognizing that kids and teens are doing their best in complicated times shifts the focus from blaming individuals to addressing real societal problems. I think real progress comes from supporting young people, not dismissing their struggles or interests as something to ridicule.