25 Teenagers Share What They Believe Defines Their Generation Right Now

21.

“Lo-fi Hip-Hop beats to relax/study to.”—stagwastaken 

22.

“I’ve never seen more people go through a school day without being sober in my life. The ability to easily get a dab pen or a juul probably defines our generation. Weird thing is I know kids who legit smoke weed and drink every day but you mention a tab of acid and everyone acts like you’re doing heroin.”—The_Legend_of_Jaelon

23.

“The motivations are different from other generations. I see it everywhere, from tiny subcultures within fanwork communities to kids trying to start a career with youtube. This generation isn’t making things (media/content) solely for the goal of making it and distributing it for the enjoyment of others, but rather for the potential fame, popularity, and money that may come with it. People stop writing when they stop getting comments on AO3, people stop posting their art when it doesn’t get likes, people give up on trying to make videos when they don’t get views. People are making content only if they’re able to sell it.

It’s the result of social media being pushed in a direction where you’re not trying to share yourself, but you’re instead being encouraged to sell yourself. The easiest way to notice this change is probably by watching youtube videos from seven years ago and comparing them with the ones that are published now. Videos that are posted now are usually over ten minutes (more ad revenue), don’t have certain music (copyright), and are usually meant to be safe for all ages of viewers (so they aren’t demonetized).

Platforms only encourage content they can sell, and as a result people only make content the platforms can sell so they can make a living. This generation (in the ask) is most familiar with the motivation being to sell content, and if their motivations are different they quickly learn other people will only find their work if it’s marketable. tdlr: Teens are more likely to create content that’s marketable or likely to make them accrue internet fame, rather than for their own enjoyment.”—catsthatdontkill
 

24.

“Asking a sex or porn-related question on r/askreddit every 9 seconds.”—s62anyone

25.

“A lot to unpack there, but I’d say it’s worth noting that we always view generations before as ignorant or bigoted, a good example of this being the ok boomer fad. But ultimately, we’re drawing lines in the sand to seem more sophisticated, and when the waves wash them away, a lot of us will become the same intolerable a**holes we profile our forebearers as.”—IcarusDreams38

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