it’s truly complicated
no, this isn’t another piece damning social media and predicting doom for my generation. yes, gen z is more prone to anxiety, depression, and mental health struggles than any other generation before us—but these problem-oriented conversations are exhausting and, frankly, unproductive.
as a member of the illustrious gen z, i live online. it’s not just a choice; it feels like a necessity. culture moves at the speed of a scrolling thumb so to become a leader in these spaces, so like 94% of people my age, i have a social media account. it’s a complicated fact of life.
some would argue that i am a “digital native.” after all, i was born into a world where information was always at my fingertips and on average, i spend more time on social media than my parents (an average of nine hours a day compared to gen x’s three hours). by this definition, i should have a greater understanding of this space. yet, here’s the paradox: while my generation is often praised for their online savviness, we are simultaneously experiencing some of the worst mental health outcomes of any generation. the u.s. surgeon general has pointed to social media as a leading contributor to these challenges, citing how it amplifies anxiety, depression, and isolation. nativeness implies mastery, so by this standard, we are some pretty lousy natives.
the real issue lies in our perceived expertise. we think we understand social media because we use it so frequently. in fact, 57% of gen z aspire to careers as influencers, believing their daily exposure to platforms translates into expertise. but exposure is not the same as experience.
gen z’s declining mental health outcomes related to social media use can, in part, be visualized by the dunning-kruger effect, a cognitive bias where limited knowledge leads to overconfidence. we’ve grown up immersed in social media, believing our constant use makes us experts in its dynamics. this overconfidence blinds us to its hidden dangers.
the dunning-kruger effect shows that a little knowledge can inflate confidence, but true understanding requires recognizing the vast complexities of a subject. social media platforms are engineered by behavioral scientists and data analysts to manipulate engagement through algorithms, subtle psychological triggers, and curated feeds. while we may excel at creating posts, navigating trends, or spotting memes, these surface-level skills don’t equate to mastery over the platforms’ deeper mechanics. by conflating familiarity with expertise, we often fail to critically evaluate how social media exploits our attention and emotions. this leaves us more vulnerable to its negative effects, like anxiety, comparison, and addiction, while reinforcing the false belief that we’ve already figured it out.
rather than “digital natives,” i believe a more accurate term for gen z is digitally agile (i should trademark this). agility reflects our ability to adapt quickly to new technologies and trends. we’re fast learners, capable of pivoting between platforms and integrating new tools into our lives seamlessly. but agility needs training. without a critical understanding of the algorithms and mechanisms driving these platforms, we’re navigating blindly through a space designed to monopolize our attention and exploit our behaviors. for example, social media’s addictive nature stems from carefully engineered dopamine boosts, short bursts of gratification designed to keep us scrolling. we know this, yet we still fall into patterns like doom scrolling. as i said, it is truly complicated.
to participate in culture today means being present on social media—it’s unavoidable. but my challenge to myself and my peers is to move beyond mere participation. we must strive to become individuals who not only engage with the digital world but also impact and reshape it. this requires stepping back and critically analyzing our habits. why do we doom scroll when we know it’s unproductive? why do we complain about excessive screen time but fail to change our behaviors? these questions highlight the need for greater intentionality in our online lives.
our generation bears a unique responsibility. as the first to grow up with the internet as a constant presence, we must lead the way in fostering critical media literacy. this involves understanding not just how to use social media but also why certain content appears in our feeds, how algorithms shape our behaviors, and how platforms are designed to profit from our time and attention. social media is a double-edged sword, it connects us while isolating us, informs us while manipulating us. to navigate this complexity, gen z must embrace digital agility but understand that there are deeper, more complex mechanisms that shape the systems. if we want to influence the future, we can’t just scroll through it.