There’s no doubt that generations have evolved over the years, but it’s true that the last decade has seen some of the most significant evolution. Now, younger generations, like Generation Z and Generation Alpha, grow up surrounded by screens and social media, which affects their ability to interact and manage emotions. Today, we talk about FOMO, cringe, viral movements—forms of communication that are far removed from what we knew not so long ago. Psychology speaks of a generation, those born and raised in the 60s and 70s, that possesses abilities not found in today’s youth, such as mental fortitude in certain situations, and the way they cope with boredom, emotions like disappointment, discomfort, and daily pressure.
They cannot develop these skills because they are distracted
The fact is that psychologists and educators warn that this hyper-connectivity, in which today’s youth live, reduces basic skills such as patience and frustration tolerance. When your childhood includes more free time, fewer digital distractions, and a greater expectation of self-sufficiency, you tend to develop certain mental strengths almost by accident. For example, children invent games, interact with others… Whereas if they are constantly distracted by a screen, they cannot develop these skills because they are distracted.
If you wanted something, you waited
Therefore, we can say that we live in times where technology has changed the way we live and communicate. One of the strengths of past generations is the ability to remain calm when something is annoying, slow, or inconvenient. People raised in the 60s and 70s used to have to deal with situations that are not common today. If you wanted something, you waited. If you were bored, there was no immediate entertainment, and if, for example, something broke, you tried to fix it. There was no instant gratification like today, when, faced with frustration, you reach for your smartphone. When you don’t know something, you go to Google and search for it; if you want to talk to someone, you pick up your smartphone and send a message, make a video call, or a regular phone call. And so on, countless situations.
And it’s true that every generation has its strengths and weaknesses, but when it comes to technology, the difference is staggering. Among the less positive aspects of generations from past decades is the fact that some were taught to suppress their emotions, to stay in unhappy jobs, or to avoid vulnerable conversations. In any case, the key difference regarding technology, as experts say, is its connection to distress tolerance: the ability to cope with unpleasant emotions or situations without needing to escape them immediately.
Today, where young people have become accustomed to everything being measured in ‘likes’ and ‘followers’
Thus, in a world designed to constantly reduce discomfort, tolerance for distress has become surprisingly uncommon. The mindset of managing your own life as best you can is rare, because everyone was simply expected to be independent. This is uncommon today, where young people have become accustomed to everything being measured in ‘likes’ and ‘followers’—that is, people (or bots) that measure the reward of your efforts. This doesn’t align with reality, but it’s how the digital world is perceived.
In short, experts are clearly concerned about the future of generations growing up with excessive screen time. Digital immediacy reduces tolerance for waiting and increases anxiety. Parents and teachers warn of difficulties in managing emotions and solving problems without technological assistance. Current generations are accustomed to digitalization and the idea that if something breaks, they simply buy a new one. Past generations, on the other hand, repaired things, improvised, reused, and moved on. As we can see, the change is more than evident. And the question is, we won’t know how future generations will develop until we see it unfold, as this is a situation unprecedented, especially on this scale.