Deepak Kumar Rath
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat recently initiated a dialogue with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Many people commented on this, interpreting it in their own ways. However, today we will discuss the one aspect that seems to have been overlooked.
Bhagwat’s dialogue with Gen Z is not merely a routine address to the youth; it demands to be heard attentively, comprehensively, and without prejudice. His perspective on Gen Z and Gen Alpha is significant because the greatest challenge today is not the behaviour of the youth, but the widening generation gap between them and older generations. We—Millennials (aged 30–45), Gen X (46–61), Boomers (62–80), and even older generations—tend to judge today’s children against the yardstick of our own experiences, question their values, and worry about their priorities. Yet, have we ever paused to consider how our parents viewed us when we were young?
Every generation makes the mistake of regarding the preceding generation as outdated and the succeeding one as immature. This lies at the very heart of the generation gap. The only difference today is that the world inhabited by Gen Z and Gen Alpha is far faster-paced, more digital, and more rapidly changing than that of any previous generation. Consequently, the way we communicate with them must also evolve. This is precisely where Bhagwat’s perspective becomes crucial.
The bond between an elder brother and a younger one cannot be limited to merely asking how their studies are progressing. A father’s conversation with his child should not be confined to concerns about needs, career, and the future. The relationship between a grandfather and a grandchild should not be restricted to affection and imparting values. True dialogue begins when we ask the child what they think—how they view the country, how they perceive politics, and what religion means to them. What is their opinion on the changes taking place in society? Which values do they embrace, and which do they reject?
We often say that today's generation does not listen. But have we ever made a sincere effort to listen to them first? Dialogue is not merely about conveying one's own point of view; it is also about understanding the other person's perspective. If we simply preach to the youth during every interaction, they will start distancing themselves from us rather than listening. Lectures do not bridge the generation gap; dialogue does.
In this context, another important point must be understood. It lacks intellectual honesty to issue a blanket character assessment of the entire Gen Z or Gen Alpha based on a few faces seen at Jantar Mantar or during political movements. Every generation has had people holding good and bad, constructive and destructive, or nationalist and anti-nationalist views. The Millennial generation includes figures like Umar Khalid, Kanhaiya Kumar, and Sharjeel Imam; yet, was the entire Millennial generation painted with the same brush because of them? No.
Gen X includes political figures like Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav. The Boomer generation has had vocal ideological voices like Arundhati Roy. The generation prior to that included historians like Romila Thapar. Were entire generations labeled as 'radical' based on the views of these individuals? If not, why apply a double standard to Gen Z?
If the views or conduct of individuals like Abhijit Deepike, Saurabh Das, or Neha Bora within a generation are objectionable, then evaluate them, oppose their views, and criticize them where necessary. However, condemning an entire generation based on a few faces will only deepen the very generation gap we wish to bridge.
This is where the perspectives of Bhagwat and Modi appear significant. Merely delivering speeches to the youth, listing their shortcomings, or lecturing them on traditional values will not suffice. One must engage with them, listen to their questions, understand their language, and recognize the positive energy within them. The path to transforming Gen Z lies not in dismissing them, but in standing with them and engaging in dialogue.
The future of any generation is not defined by its loudest voices; it is shaped by the millions of quiet, sincere, and creative young people striving to make their times better. Therefore, before putting Gen Z in the dock, talk to them. We might discover that the problem lies not with the generation itself, but with our own haste to judge them.
Leave Your Comment