About my generation, that X, I have already expressed myself: if the world will be saved, it will be thanks to him. And the others? There Generation Z is struggling with a decline in happiness and an increase in troughbad sign. We can do something to prevent it Alpha generation, (that of those born after 2012 and of my daughter) is overwhelmed?
On the subject, the professor Jean Twenge he has a book out on April 28th and she is an expert in interactions between society, psychology and technology: here's what she thinks.
Save Soldier Alpha
According to Twenge, it is not historical events that define generations, but technological changes. Generation Alpha, which she considers “Polar” due to political polarization (and global warming) is the most exposed to these changes and the risks they present.
Social media has already had a devastating impact on the mental health of Generation Z. Teenage depression has doubled since 2011, and these social media “guinea pigs” risk rapidly becoming more apathetic and pessimistic than any previous generation.
The challenge for Alphas is to address the risks associated with hyperconnection and social media from an early age. 70% of children between 10 and 13 years it's already present on social media, despite the minimum age requirement being 13 years. In Italy 14, in Europe 16. To chat.
How to protect them from the avalanche?
To defend Generation Alpha, Prof. Twenge suggests that parents and governments work together to regulate social media use. Currently proposed solutions (e.g. time limits announced by TikTok or Facebook palliatives) are definitely not enough. The long-term solution should be much more stringent.
The Alpha Generation risks mental and relational meltdown in a world of exponential technological acceleration, with challenges and opportunities never seen before. Artificial intelligences like ChatGPT are increasingly popular: many university students they admit to using it for study. In the USA, the data it is even close to 90%.
The long-term impact of these new technologies on Generation Alpha is still unknown. For this reason, albeit in disastrous ways, the intervention of the Italian Guarantor on OpenAI technology he expressed a legitimate need, that of protecting the little ones.
How will the situation evolve?
The whirlwind of changes risks "taking away" the Alpha generation even from those immediately preceding it. Intergenerational language could be completely compromised.
The first step will be to work on empathy. Understanding the different growth experiences between generations can help find common solutions and prevent the problems that affected Generation Z from repeating themselves with Generation Alpha.
The teacher. Twenge is optimistic, however: by regulating social media and promoting empathy between generations, she says, we might be able to protect younger people from the dangers of the digital world and ensure them a brighter future.
I'm a little less optimistic. You?
