Gen X and ReGen A will be more concerned with human rights - not just as activists, but also by “lying flat” (or tang ping)
We are interested in Generations Z & Alpha (or what we have term ReGenA) and their transformative political potential - see Trust the People for what this generation wants to get up to in the UK. Globally, their interest in politics seems to be increasing - yet it takes both the familiar form of activism, and unfamiliar forms of non-conformist behaviour.
Take this fascinating blog post from Chatham House on how younger generations can be the key to protecting human rights going into the future.
Some extracts from the blog:
Young people are consistently underrepresented in intergovernmental mechanisms and national dialogues. This not only squanders their potential to contribute to effective solutions. But it also risks disengagement and disillusionment with multilateralism more broadly, at a time when many are already warning of the fraying of the international liberal order.
Although there are actors and initiatives working to lift barriers to youth participation in governance – such as the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Jayathma Wickramanayake, or the UN 2016 Not Too Young To Run campaign – these efforts tend to fall short in effecting real change and rarely translate into institutionalized procedures.
…Young people tend to be more technologically literate than their predecessors and also represent the majority of internet users and social media consumers in many countries.
They can therefore play a key role in innovating and imagining rights-based solutions to emerging problems for the human rights framework, such as illegitimate collection of data by governments and companies, microtargeting by online platforms, and the sharing of harmful content online. In many cases, international human rights practices have failed to keep pace with these changes and the challenges they bring.
Younger demographics may also approach these novel human rights issues from different starting points. For example, a UK study found that 30 per cent of 18-24 year-olds were ‘unconcerned’ about data privacy compared with only 12 per cent of those aged 55-64, and it has been shown that younger people tend to be more discerning of fake newscompared to older generations.
There may be a need for human rights institutions and practitioners to acknowledge and bridge these gaps in perspective and understanding to ensure long-term support for proposed solutions.
It has been suggested that young people have reaped the benefits of previous human rights-based policy reforms and have a strong sense of what rights they are entitled to and why these need to be protected through an international framework.
Young people are also generally more supportive of multilateralism compared to their older counterparts, as demonstrated by a 2020 survey by Pew Research Center on global attitudes, which showed that 72 per cent of respondents aged 18-29 stated they have a favourable view of the UN, compared with 58 per cent of respondents aged 50 and older.
…Young people’s proficiency on online platforms has enabled greater coordination and knowledge sharing without geographical constraints, allowing young activists – like Greta Thunberg – to inspire global movements and foster online discussions about intersectional solutions to modern-day challenges.
This intersectional and transnational lens will be a vital component of building solutions to politically or historically complex issues. It can be leveraged to foster better understanding of competing human rights claims relating to issues such as land re-distribution in South Africa or limitations on freedom of movement during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These democratic forums and platforms will ultimately help build a global community committed to and engaged with human rights.
…Recent Chatham House research has suggested that multilateral institutions’ efforts to engage youth has often taken the form of ‘superficial listening’. For example, this can involve inviting a high-profile youth actor to a one-off event. Or appointing youth delegates who are not able to participate in formal discussions or mainstream governance forums.
While encouraging youth participation in meetings focused on human rights can lead to positive change, tokenism can discourage future engagement and dilute the effectiveness of the forums in question.
Capitalizing on the potential of the next generation can be achieved through integrating youth councils and advisers into national and international human rights policy processes, as well as human rights institutions.
A few replicable models are already operational, such as the Y7 and the Y20 delegations – the official youth engagement groups for the G7 and G20 – that advance evidence-based proposals to world leaders ahead of the G7 and G20 summits.
At the domestic level, grassroots youth-led movements can help bridge the gap between local constituencies and international policymakers, with youth activists on the ground helping to implement human rights standards and fighting against the spread of misinformation.
Strong local networks and civic spaces are essential for pushing back against human rights abuses. Youth activists should be mobilized to connect the efforts of domestic and international bodies to the real issues on the ground. For example, grassroots youth networks should be canvassed on domestic and traditional customs, before implementing development agendas around women’s rights.
As well as providing insertion points for youth policy actors, human rights institutions must communicate their goals more effectively to younger generations and promote intergenerational and inclusive dialogue. This can be done by holding virtual consultations that give access to individuals from different backgrounds.
Similarly, they should ask young people about their priorities for human rights reform using regular and accessible surveys or by sharing information on online platforms regularly used by this demographic. This will ensure lasting buy-in from the next generation, essential for the relevance and sustainability of the human rights framework in the years to come.
Another striking piece on Gen Z behaviour comes from China - in a new form of resistance called “Tang Ping” (躺平) or “lying flat”. According to Quartz magazine, this meme supports a “passive approach to life that subtly thwarts the government’s desire to foster a hardworking and productive populace”. More extracts here:
The concept advocates an almost monastic outlook, including not getting married, not having children, not having a job, not owning property, and consuming as little as possible.
For many, this is almost the only way in an authoritarian country to fight against the growing pressures from long work hours, skyrocketing housing prices, and the ever higher cost of raising children.
Lifestyle philosophies based on rejecting ambition, and being a cog in China’s capitalist machine have been spreading in recent years, and “lying flat” is the latest culmination of such trends, explained Wu Qiang, an independent political analyst in Beijing.
“Chinese youngsters, or in general the working population, have experienced huge societal and political changes in the past nine years, [leading them to realize] that there is neither the possibility for initiating a revolution nor the freedom of expression. Under such a condition, lying down has become the only option,” Wu told Quartz.
More here. And more commentary from Straits Times, BBC, and Sixth Tone.