Gen-Z’s Youth Movement Pattern: Empowerment and Exclusivity

this article was inspired by the countless webinar flyers the Author had seen for the past five years. Kind of sick of it actually.

My university started off normal before the Covid-19 hits. In total of two whole years I had to interact with people through the laptop screen and did all the work online. Aside from schoolwork, I had organization tasks I had to do. I immersed myself in that organization, absorbing the values and do the social “empowerment” movement job online. The rise of youth organizations was at peak at that time, competing on conducting webinars and classes, aiming for the KPIs, and having empowerment as a slogan of their events.

It was cool.. or so I thought

Then it hit me five years later, questions pounding me

what empowerment have I done? who was I empowering? what is the essence of empowerment?

I came to the conclusion that the empowering job I had done, empowered no one. Those who came to the webinars, were going after the certificates. No one actually pay attention to what the speakers were talking about, it was only a one sided forum, a formality.

Gen-Z’s and Their World

I am a Gen-Z, and I’m writing this to the Gen-Zs out there, hear here.

I noticed that there are changes of in terms of goals and ways of learning post Covid-19 pandemic. The world somehow shifted to an environment where the youths are constantly chasing for achievements and praises. Youths — my age or even younger — are always on their phone calls and meetings, 24 hours is not enough, work deadlines on desktop to do lists. What a fast-paced environment we live in, sparing no time to reflect on deepen understanding of things and continuously seek for instant ways.

Defining Empowerment

The changes of goals and ways of leaning affected the work habits, further, it affected badly on the comprehension on empowerment. The social empowerment movement I saw on flyers have exclusive, well-known and privileged speakers talking about structural problems they had less understanding about. Were they deserving?

The definition of empowerment varies and multidimensional. Yet the social empowerment defined to having thought provoking consciousness changes in community so that they can stand on their feet, having their own voices, and determines their own lives. Not needing to constantly be fed on.

will continue with “why grassroot movement is crucial” (si je ne pas oublier)