OF COURSE, accusations float around that members of Gen Z(ee) are irresponsible and superficial and indisciplined. What hurts most is the sense of generalisation in those accusation -- that every Gen Z(ee) member is irresponsible and superficial and indisciplined and this and that ... ! Even a casual loom would reveal that such generalisations are highly unjust and also irresponsible on the part of those who make those. For, there also are countless examples of Gen Z(ee) members’ responsible conduct even on the face of big provocations to indulge in wrong things. There are youngsters who have the strength of character to stand up and say no to cheap temptations. There are youngsters whose sense of focus should be the envy of even seniors. There are young people in this category with burning ambition and associate hard work in which there is no compromise.

 

These people talk of cracking various examinations and scale newer heights of performance in their chosen fields. They read books seriously, and add value to their personalities by inculcating good habits and not taking chances when matters come to crunch. Of course, there are youngsters belonging to the category of irresponsible and indisciplined people -- deserving sharp criticism. Everybody notices these categories, of course, as does the loud-thinker. While many may not be able to avoid the temptation of generalising a stereotype, the loud-thinker refuses to do so. For, he has an innate belief that youngsters in the Gen Z(ee) category are bright, wonderful people -- each of them -- who can work wonders if guided properly and taken forward by serious and sincere hand-holding. In other words, Gen Z(ee) members are in a great need of serious and sincere mentors -- in any form, parents, teachers, elders in the family, elder siblings ... ! Some of them are fortunate to find good mentors, but some are not so fortunate. That is the actual problem. The harsh reality is that schools should have been paying a greater attention to this issue (of mentoring) -- from 8th standard onwards. But that does not happen.

 

Probably, in mass education where the pressure of high scores is cruel, mentoring of every individual child may not be easily possible. So, the lacuna remains to be sorted out -- and the Gen Z(ee) members suffer. Families, too, may be held responsible for absence of serious and sincere mentoring of their youngsters in the Gen Z(ee) category. Wrong expectations, senseless aspirations, tutored ambitions also play their own negative roles to make Gen Z(ee) members go wayward in many cases. No matter all that, it is important to note that generalisation that Gen Z(ee) people are this or that should be avoided. For, if there are good people among the youngsters, there are some who do not make the muster. But that is okay ! For, let the elders look back on their young years -- and make a sincere assessment how they used to be. Some of us were irresponsible and indisciplined, all right. But some of us were highly focused and driven as well. Such a look-back would help us make a balanced assessment of our youngsters.