Generation Z

Generation Z:Their Voices, Their Lives

Chloe Combi 2015 Windmill Books

An essential read for anyone trying to make sense of popular culture in 2015! Journalist and consultant on youth issues Chloe Combi spent the best part of a year travelling round the UK visiting schools, homes, hospitals, mental institutions, young offenders’ institutes, prisons, parties, churches, mosques, synagogues and  festivals interviewing a real cross-section of people born between 1995 and 2001.

The book reproduces faithfully the words she heard, often making it necessary to consult the useful glossary (I now know that ‘bare’ means ‘a lot of’; ‘moist’ means ‘horrible or bad’ and ‘sick’ of course means ‘good or great’. I’ve learnt a lot more beside….)

The chapters are grouped around the themes that emerged most often: Family, relationships, body, sex, school, race, gender, technology, class, crime with a final section; ‘Looking to the future and Advice for the Next generation’ I thought this final chapter was a really clever way to engage with how the young people thought about themselves)

The rear cover blurb sounds sensational but is a good summary of what the book contains:

‘Today’s teenagers are growing up in a world of widening social inequality, political apathy and economic uncertainty. They join gangs, are obese, have underage sex, watch porn, drink and are a menace to society.  But they are also curious, kind, creative and worried about the future.’

I couldn’t help notice how certain themes were present throughout the chapters; the all-knowing presence of the internet for good and ill; the impact of drugs; the reality of bullying (because of gender, sexuality, body shape, gang membership and interest amongst others), the challenges of disintegrating family life, and sexual inequality. Chloe interviewed rich and poor teenagers, country l and city dwellers and the themes were remarkably similar. Only those living in very remote farming communities seem to have escaped some of the greatest pressures.

A couple of quotes about music and festivals are worth noting:

Richard and Skye (14 and 15, Milton Keynes):  Music is so important. It tells you everything you need to know about a person. The music we listen to is inclusive. You can be white, black, Asian, gay, straight, fat, thin, pretty, ugly. There’s no abuse. I love that.

Farzana, 19 (Sheffield): My boyfriend took me to some gigs and festivals. I thought it was the coolest thing ever… I went to Glastonbury for the first time this summer, and it was so happy and free. Like a great big rainbow tribe. Maybe they should send ISIS to Glastonbury.

Katherine 16 (Kent): Music is another thing I love, although I think it is quite sad that you have to have money now to actively follow it. I’ve been to Glastonbury twice now and spent thousands of pounds… Once you’ve figured in clothes, food and alcohol, as well as the ticket price it’s a really expensive weekend. But it was SO worth it. It was one of the best weekends of my life… I don’t think many kids whose parents are on benefits could afford it. Which is just really sad.

On the use of internet as a parallel reality:

Sally, 15 (Gloucester):  You can sort of create this character for yourself that is more appealing than your own… I love the places I go to on the Internet. It makes me feel safe and like I’m part of something. I find it quite hard to cope in real social situations, because I’m so shy. I find it easier to make friends on the internet.

Julia, 17 (Reading) who had the experience of being groomed by a much older man: Don’t make the internet your life. So many teenagers, including my friends, don’t have any interests any more outside the web…. We are definitely a generation completely dependent on the internet. Addicted. I don’t think any addition is good, is it?

Although there isn’t a specific section on religion it does feature. A couple of Christian interviewees advocate a wait before sex lifestyle; another actively supports women’s issues. The stresses associated with inter-religious relationships often feature. Some Muslim teenagers react against the generally bad press given to their faith.

Abdul, 19 (Manchester) argues that Muslim boys are signing up for ISIS because they are tired of living in poverty, just like many white working class boys join the Army to escape their lives. It’s nothing to do with religion: Maybe I’m wrong, But if you take any white kid with a comfortable family who’s going to Oxford to study law and ask him to join the Army and go and fight in Afghanistan, how interested do you think he’s going to Be!? Not at all. Why would it be any different for Muslim boys? You take a Muslim kid, stick him in Chelsea and give him a load of money, fast car and a pretty girlfriend. He’s not going anywhere near Syria even if he’s the most devout Muslim in the world. Trust me on this one.

As if to back up Abdul’s thesis Paul, 17 from Wolverhampton says:  My old man found a load of drugs under my bed… He gave me a choice. He was either going to take me to the police or I had to enlist in the Army. I got in. I start next month. So I’ve stopped being a drug dealer and I’m going to be a killer. F….. great system, innit?

I could go on quoting forever but urge anyone who reads this to get hold of the book for themselves.

A final word in the book and in this blog goes to Rita, 17 (North London) using some New Testament terminology : What are our big challenges? So many. Few jobs, unaffordable housing, growing tension between races and religions, deciding what our relationship should be with the internet, anger at the government, poverty. All these things and more. Who knows what crosses the next generation will have to bear? ... I don’t know if things will be worse or better for the next generation, but they’ll have to make their own way and pull through and survive just like we are. The  thing is, most things do, sort of, work out OK in the end.