Today’s generation is unique in that they’re often encouraged to focus on who they are as individuals, rather than on being part of a community. This shift is largely due to the influence of a recent ideology – though it’s fading now – that unintentionally promoted a kind of self-centeredness.
These days, people often prioritize connections with those who share their identity over traditional ties to family and community. Instead of accepting values passed down through generations, many focus on finding their own purpose and living authentically. This can mean making difficult choices, like distancing themselves from even close relatives if those relationships are unhealthy, in order to pursue personal fulfillment.
Pick the gender identity that feels right for you and connect online with people who share your views, often on platforms focused on personal photos and self-expression.
Kids used to dream of being astronauts. Now two-thirds of Gen Z want to be an online influencer.
For decades, feminists challenged the expectation that women should be confined to the home and focused on their appearance. It’s ironic, then, that many young people today admire figures like Kim Kardashian, seemingly aspiring to a similar lifestyle of staying home and prioritizing looks.
Today’s children have a world of entertainment and stimulation instantly available on their devices – everything from games and shopping to social media and endless streams of information. It’s no surprise they’re drawn to screens, often feeling stressed and needing immediate satisfaction.
As a result, many young people today expect instant gratification and want good things in life to come easily. They often want these experiences to be not just enjoyable, but also visually appealing and shareable on social media.
When institutions are easily swayed, they often give in to unreasonable demands. A recent example occurred in New York, where medical students petitioned against a highly respected professor because they found his organic chemistry class too challenging and were failing. Instead of encouraging them to study harder, the university actually fired the professor.
It’s easy to see why young people feel this way. They’ve grown up surrounded by both progressive ideals and constant access to technology like smartphones and the internet. Many now rely on GPS for even simple tasks – like finding the train station – and feel anxious without it. It’s remarkable how quickly physical maps have become outdated, now mostly used as collectibles or by older generations.
If things continue as they are, children may grow up unable to form their own sentences without relying on the internet. Furthermore, the ease of AI-generated art and music – created by simply copying existing work – could stifle their ability to create truly original pieces, hindering innovation and creativity.
Perhaps the biggest concern is that genuine human connections are being replaced by artificial ones that only seem real. If young people constantly have access to simulated relationships through social media, they may not develop the social skills necessary to navigate the challenges of real-life relationships. Consider the increasing popularity of pornography and the growing number of people addicted to it – many young people are becoming reliant on instant gratification from depictions of sex that are often unrealistic and even harmful.
This creates unrealistic ideas and discourages them from developing important social skills, growing as individuals, and learning to navigate complex relationships.
As a child, I only knew what my friends were up to when I was actually with them. My sons, however, grew up seeing a constant flow of photos showing all their friends and classmates seemingly having a great time without them.
The result is ‘FOMO’ – the fear of missing out – and it’s a major driver of increasing anxiety and self-doubt. Social media fuels this by creating envy, and it also played a key role in the quick spread of ‘woke’ culture. Because it’s divisive, worldwide, and thrives on anger, social media is a fertile environment for flawed thinking and extreme judgment of others.
Social media isn’t disappearing anytime soon, and that’s probably a good thing. However, we need to approach it with a healthy dose of common sense. It’s important to remember that the heated debates we see online don’t reflect how we typically behave in person.
Often, the biggest arguments and discussions online don’t actually affect the things that are most important in life – like our relationships, health, and financial stability. I enjoy the lively exchange of ideas on social media, but I also know there’s a real world beyond what I see on my screen that deserves more focus.
I’m concerned that many young people don’t understand how constantly being exposed to unfiltered content on their smartphones affects them. They see endless streams of information and opinions – things their parents wouldn’t approve of – which can create unrealistic expectations about life.
A major issue is their desire for immediate results and easy solutions. They want everything to be quick and require little effort.
These troubling trends seem to stem from a lack of strong guidance and positive examples. Many students surprised by the challenges of organic chemistry grew up in an environment where children were excessively praised – often called ‘heroes’ from a young age – and received rewards simply for showing up, even if they didn’t succeed.
Putting trigger warnings on older movies like Dumbo and The Jungle Book might lead to today’s children being shocked by content in shows like the classic sitcom Friends, as many have been recently. Jennifer Aniston, responding to a viral trend of Gen Z criticizing Friends for being ‘sexist, transphobic, and lacking diversity,’ suggested we’ve created a culture of overprotection that hasn’t prepared them for content from different eras.
The situation is escalating. We once discussed “helicopter parents” who excessively interfered in their children’s lives, trying to fix everything for them. Now, these parents are taking it a step further, aggressively confronting anyone who might hinder their child’s success.
Recent reports show that about 25% of Gen Z job applicants have brought a parent with them to job interviews. Interestingly, 15% of employers have received complaints from parents on behalf of their children who weren’t offered a position.
There’s been a lot of talk about Gen Z being lazy, easily offended, and unmotivated at work. But perhaps this is a result of how we encouraged them to pursue their passions and led them to believe their success depended on getting into top-tier schools.
All parents want their children to thrive, and that means letting them face challenges and learn from setbacks. Life inevitably includes disappointment and failure, and everyone experiences tough times. However, failure isn’t the end of the world – it only defeats you if you allow it. True success isn’t about avoiding failure, but about learning to bounce back from it. The better you become at overcoming obstacles, the more successful you’ll be.
Instead of praising hard work and overcoming challenges, our current culture often focuses on dwelling on negativity. Young people are constantly exposed to messages about potential flaws and shortcomings. There’s a strange reward for identifying as a victim, and simply sharing personal feelings is often praised as being strong and brave.
We often praise people for sharing their struggles, almost as if the act of suffering is something to be celebrated. For example, celebrities receive a lot of attention for openly discussing their ‘mental health journeys’.
I’d rather see them focus on resilience and overcoming challenges, sharing how they bounced back from difficult times and emerged stronger, instead of just dwelling on their problems.
I strongly believe in setting ambitious goals and having big dreams. However, young people need to understand that success and recognition rarely look as glamorous as they appear on Instagram. Many aspiring influencers need to hear the truth: very few – less than 1% – will ever achieve enough influence to earn a good living from it. Like modeling, professional sports, and acting, it’s a path attainable by only a tiny fraction of those who pursue it.
The best approach is to focus on what you naturally excel at and develop those skills further. There’s real value in becoming highly proficient in established trades – in fact, it’s something to be proud of. Despite concerns about artificial intelligence taking over jobs, many practical skills – like carpeting or plumbing – will still require a human touch for a long time to come.
You’d definitely be more fulfilled and successful being an amazing plumber than a terrible TikTok creator.
Perhaps nowhere is the disappointment of young people more apparent than on college campuses. These institutions, once seen as beacons of open thought, are now, more than ever, often centers of extreme and unforgiving ideological rigidity. This mindset originated in universities and will likely persist there long after it fades elsewhere.
Universities should be centers of intellectual growth, where brilliant minds thrive and challenging discussions expand our knowledge. However, they’ve increasingly become environments where students are shielded from differing viewpoints rather than exposed to them.
Feminist speakers often face cancellations and disruptive protests, frequently accused of being ‘transphobic’ or having views considered unacceptable by some.
Some universities are adding warnings to course materials and reading lists, suggesting they believe students are easily upset. For example, Aberdeen University cautions that Shakespeare’s *A Midsummer Night’s Dream* contains elements of classism, and Greenwich University flags Orwell’s *Nineteen Eighty-Four* for depictions of self-harm and animal cruelty. Even students studying forensic science at Exeter University are warned that the course includes disturbing content.
A troubling pattern is emerging where many US professors are being punished or losing their jobs for voicing opinions that go against the prevailing views on campus or potentially offend students. While professors have historically leaned left, there’s now a significant imbalance, with conservative viewpoints being heavily suppressed. Some estimates suggest there are nine professors with far-left views for every one with conservative opinions – a clear contradiction of the idea of a diverse academic environment.
We’re seeing a troubling situation in universities: students with strong progressive views are encountering professors who share those views, all within an environment that prioritizes accommodating these perspectives to maintain funding.
However, a new study found that many American students pretend to be more progressive than they actually are. At two leading universities, almost 88% admitted to exaggerating their beliefs to improve their chances socially or at work. In fact, four out of five students confessed to submitting assignments where they expressed opinions they didn’t truly hold, just to get on their professors’ good side.
It’s common for students to hold liberal and idealistic views. The real concern isn’t *that* they do, but that they aren’t being equipped to handle strong disagreements and challenges to those ideas in the real world.
It’s impossible to be sure you’re correct if you consistently ignore opposing viewpoints. Unfortunately, many universities now function as echo chambers, only promoting one very specific and inflexible progressive perspective.
As a longtime observer of university life, I was deeply disturbed by the reactions following the horrific attacks in Israel last October. It was shocking to see how quickly some academics and students rushed to defend the violence. I mean, the attacks were *still happening* when Yale professor Zareena Grewal publicly called Israel a murderous, genocidal state and supported armed resistance against it. And the next day, over 30 student groups at Harvard signed a statement blaming Israel for everything that was happening. It really exposed a level of intolerance and bias that I hadn’t fully realized existed on these campuses.
Protests erupted on dozens of American university campuses, leading to similar demonstrations in the UK. Even before the escalating conflict in Gaza, Jewish students and staff reported feeling threatened, facing abuse, and in some cases, experiencing physical attacks. Videos circulated online showed protesters chanting slogans like ‘burn Tel Aviv to the ground’ and expressing support for Hamas and its rockets.
This harsh and inflexible racism thrived because universities have long promoted a simplified view of the world divided into ‘oppressors’ and ‘the oppressed’. This environment allowed it to grow without challenge.
It was striking to see some of the world’s most fortunate individuals criticizing Israel, the only truly diverse democracy in the Middle East, while simultaneously backing a government known for its harsh suppression of dissent and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people. This dynamic seems to fit a narrative where those who have faced hardship are seen as heroes, and those with power are portrayed as villains, despite their actions.
It’s perfectly acceptable to protest against war. However, the way we’ve been educating young people has created a simplistic worldview for some, leading them to support harmful ideologies and even engage in antisemitic behavior, including inciting violence against Jewish people.
I believe the main purpose of universities is simple: to be places where students can conduct important new research and develop the skills needed to contribute to the economy. That’s all they need to be.
Rather than focusing on their core mission, these institutions have become preoccupied with social activism, aiming to eliminate perceived injustices and increase diversity. However, this often manifests as ineffective bureaucracy, with a disproportionate number of staff dedicated to administration – managing diversity programs, ensuring compliance, and handling public relations – compared to actual educators.
Cardiff University officials prohibited common phrases like ‘piece of cake,’ deeming them overly British. Similarly, Leeds University banned the terms ‘mum and dad’ due to concerns about gendered language. Meanwhile, Yale and Harvard have reached the point where their administrative staff numbers exceed their student population – a somewhat absurd situation.
To begin improving the situation, a significant change in personnel could be considered. Instead of focusing on classes about white supremacy, the curriculum should prioritize the value of free speech. Furthermore, every student should identify a cause they strongly believe in and then write an essay arguing against it from an opposing viewpoint.
Anyone who disrupts a speaker’s event with abusive behavior should also be removed from the university’s platform.
Wouldn’t it be great if there was a university that taught practical life skills, or even a class on understanding current events? Instead of focusing on traditional subjects like Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, we should offer a course – let’s call it ‘Practical Me’ – for anyone wanting to succeed and help make the world a little more reasonable. The foundation of this course would be simple: common sense and honesty.
Even though many people have tried to silence me and exclude me from public life, consistently voicing my beliefs and sharing my honest opinions has usually been successful for me.
Staying silent and avoiding expressing your true thoughts just to please people will never lead to anything positive.
Everyone seems to have an opinion about how society, politics, and culture should evolve, and many people actively try to influence those changes.
Taking part in that debate is the spice of life and the bedrock of democracy.
However, belonging to a ‘tribe’ isn’t always about working together. These days, it frequently means simply aligning with others who share similar political views – whether those views are generally liberal or conservative.
Everyone should work together, even when they have different opinions, because winning is the only goal.
No one involved in a disagreement is completely correct, or completely wrong, about every single issue. Believing otherwise is dishonest, shuts down productive conversation, and is a major contributor to the intense negativity and division we see in politics today.
I update my views when new information comes to light, which I believe is the right approach. I don’t want to blindly support any particular viewpoint or worry about conforming to its standards. I’m dedicated to trusting my judgment and staying true to my own values.
However, the ‘woke’ movement was so convinced it was right that anyone who disagreed was publicly shamed and shut down. There was no room for individual opinion or compromise – people were expected to accept the entire set of beliefs without exception. You couldn’t pick and choose what you agreed with; full commitment was required to be considered an ally.
As a result, even well-intentioned liberal politicians ended up having to justify the use of puberty blockers for children. We also saw protests with slogans like ‘Queers for Palestine,’ and serious issues were often ignored or downplayed.
The Casey Review, which led to a national investigation into the UK sex-grooming scandal, dedicated a whole chapter to the issue of ‘denial’. Louise Casey discovered that some in positions of power had evidence showing the majority of suspects were Asian men, but they suppressed this information. They were afraid of causing racial conflict or facing accusations of racism.
Their lack of courage and carelessness caused immense and lasting pain that continued long after it could have been prevented. This was made possible by others who actively ignored the problem – people who deliberately removed any mention of ‘Pakistani’ from documents and remained silent about what was happening.
Trying to hide the truth only gave more power to racists and those who spread hate, letting them control the story and destroying people’s trust. It’s heartbreaking to think about how much suffering could have been avoided if more people had been brave enough to speak up and share what they knew.
It will take time to overcome the effects of recent trends and build a more truthful world, but healing begins with independent thinking and staying true to what you believe. Be skeptical of anything that doesn’t feel right, trust your instincts, and always speak your mind.
We’re all grown-ups, we can take it.
- Adapted from Woke Is Dead by Piers Morgan (HarperCollins, £22), to be published 23rd October. © Piers Morgan 2025. To order a copy for £18.70 (offer valid to 18/10/25; UK P&P free on orders over £25) go to www.mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.
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2025-10-07 03:39