Generation Z and the Lost Art of Thinking
Archaeologists recently announced the discovery of a rare artifact believed to have gone extinct sometime around 2025.
The artifact is called a "second thought."
According to experts, people once encountered information, reflected on it, questioned it, verified it, and only then formed an opinion. Historians remain divided on whether such behavior actually existed or was merely a myth passed down through ancient civilizations.
Today, life has become far more efficient.
Why spend hours reading when a fifteen-second video can explain economics, geopolitics, nutrition, psychology, and the meaning of life while somebody dances in the background?
Modern wisdom follows a simple process:
See headline.
Feel emotion.
Become expert.
No unnecessary thinking required.
The average citizen now possesses strong opinions on subjects they discovered approximately three minutes ago. This remarkable achievement has dramatically reduced the burden of education.
Universities are reportedly concerned.
For centuries, professors believed knowledge required study, evidence, and critical thinking. They now find themselves competing against influencers whose credentials include perfect lighting and a ring lamp.
One professor complained:
"My students cite content creators who begin sentences with 'Trust me, bro.'"
Meanwhile, attention spans continue to evolve.
Researchers attempted to publish a 300-page report but quickly realized nobody would read it. They then condensed it into a ten-second video featuring dramatic music, flashing subtitles, and a surprised facial expression.
The report went viral.
Nobody watched it to the end.
Political campaigns have adapted brilliantly.
Instead of presenting policies, candidates simply release clips designed to generate outrage. Voters then select leaders using the same process they use to choose smartphone cases:
"That one looks cool."
Years later, when roads crumble, schools decline, and hospitals struggle, citizens express shock that governing a nation may require more analysis than choosing a profile picture.
The education system has also embraced innovation.
Students no longer ask:
"What is true?"
Instead, they ask:
"What gets the most views?"
Why seek understanding when algorithms can decide what deserves attention?
The algorithm knows best.
It knows what to buy.
It knows what to fear.
It knows who to hate.
It knows what to think.
In fact, the algorithm has become such a trusted advisor that many people would sooner question reality itself than question their recommended feed.
Of course, not everyone participates.
There remains a small and endangered group of rebels.
They read books longer than one page.
They check sources.
They ask difficult questions.
They occasionally change their minds when confronted with evidence.
Society views these individuals with suspicion.
Friends whisper:
"Be careful. He's thinking again."
As civilization advances, perhaps we should remember one uncomfortable truth:
A population that stops thinking doesn't become free.
It becomes programmable.
And history has never been kind to people who outsource their judgment to whoever controls the screen.
But don't worry.
A creator will explain this article in a fifteen-second video shortly.
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