From lazy to lost? The myths and realities behind generational panic about youth

By Bhabani Shankar Nayak 

Older generations in many societies often describe the young with labels such as “lazy, unproductive, lost, anxious, depoliticised, unpatriotic or wayward.” Others see them as “social media, mobile phone and porn addicts.” Such judgments arise from a generational anxiety rooted in fears of losing control and from distorted perceptions about youth, especially in the context of economic crises, conflicts, and wars in which many young lives are lost.

Across the world, older voices frequently portray youth as deviants, immoral, drug abusers, selfish, materialistic, loners, or even criminals. These stereotypes overshadow the struggles and contributions of young people. Political elites and their intellectual supporters often reinforce these perceptions. For example, arguments that younger workers are the most vulnerable to the rise of artificial intelligence may be based on narrow data while ignoring deeper structural issues such as the nature of automation, biases in technological development, and the socioeconomic realities shaping young people’s lives and choices in the digital age.

Moral critiques of the young—framing their challenges as products of individual failings—shift attention away from structural causes rooted in economic systems and traditional hierarchies. In reality, alienation, anxiety, and depression often stem from social and economic conditions that young people did not create. Generational moralising has historically been a way to conceal the inability of ruling systems to provide egalitarian opportunities for growth and dignity. What is often described as “morality” is instead a mechanism of control.

Arguments against the young are not only simplistic but also overlook history. Despite social and economic constraints, young people continue to act with idealism. It is often the youth who find themselves on the frontlines of wars and conflicts, and it is also the youth who stand against them—whether in protests against war, injustice, or exploitation. Historically, young people have been at the forefront of struggles against colonialism, racism, apartheid, and gender discrimination. They continue to generate knowledge, ideas, and innovations for social transformation, even if such contributions remain underappreciated by older generations.

Young people today face serious challenges: student debt, unemployment, hunger, homelessness, and for many, the burden of long working hours and housing insecurity. These are not conditions they chose but ones they inherited. Yet, despite such hardships, many continue to hold fast to values of solidarity, equality, freedom, and fraternity. In doing so, they challenge established norms and resist the pressures of conformity.

Generational tensions are not new. Youth in every era have encountered skepticism and criticism, but they have also forged their own solutions and pathways. The persistent worries projected onto them often serve more to maintain authority than to reflect reality. Recognising young people as independent actors—capable of shaping their own futures and contributing to wider society—requires moving beyond stereotypes and granting them the space to flourish on their own terms.