Generation Z: between tradition and digital
By Patricia Abad · Head of qualitative research at GAD3.
We live in a time when digital technology seems to dominate everything: from how we get our information to how we interact with each other. It is no coincidence that, for some time now, we have begun to refer to information and communication technologies (ICT) as TRIC, in order to highlight their relational factor. In a digital context where different generations coexist, Generation Z, one of the most connected in history, is beginning to revive the customs of their ancestors. These practices include repairing broken items, reading paper books, cooking at home and living a more peaceful life. Although some are surprised by this revival of traditions, the truth is that it is not unusual. In times of hyperconnectivity, young people feel the need to return to the physical world and recover customs of yesteryear. It is not that young people now feel a special nostalgia for the past; they are interested because they can give it new meaning and incorporate it into their current experiences.
[VIDEO INTERVENCIÓN]
Authenticity as a generational value
At GAD3, we have been analysing these issues for some time in various studies, particularly those related to the use of TRICS, and this week I had the opportunity to participate in esRadio’s En Casa de Herrero programme to discuss some of the changes that we at GAD3 have observed in society.
It was a good opportunity to share some ideas about Generation Z’s rediscovery of the value of analogue, community and tradition, which includes young people between the ages of 15 and 30, approximately. The so-called centennials are returning to reading on paper, repairing clothes and furniture, and taking up outdoor activities again. They do so because they see in these experiences an authenticity that they deeply value as a generation.
During the conversation, we also reflected on what this reinterpretation of traditions brings to Generation Z. On the one hand, this reinterpretation helps them to identify themselves and create community. They do this by reinterpreting traditions, particularly local ones, and adapting them to their own experiences, which makes them more personal and authentic. The recent boom in the custom of dressing up in chulapos at the San Isidro festivities in Madrid illustrates this perfectly. On the other hand, it allows them to differentiate themselves from millennials; a desire for distinction that is almost always perceived in generations compared to those immediately preceding them.
Traditional institutions under a new light
The president of GAD3, Narciso Michavila, pointed out in La Vanguardia that Generation Z has changed its perception of traditional institutions such as the church or the army. They now view them in a ‘more favourable light than their parents… and more European’, as a result of international experiences that have allowed them to see them from a different perspective. Another feature worth highlighting is corporatism, which is very present in this generation. It is directly related to the feeling of belonging to the group and is expressed in their daily habits and behaviours. This is no coincidence: they have grown up in an environment where digital connection with other people has always been present. At the same time, having experienced recent situations of great uncertainty (such as lockdown due to the pandemic or a total blackout of the electricity system), they long for security, a value traditionally associated with these institutions.
Here is the article from La Vanguardia for you to read.
Non-linear social change
With this trend, Generation Z shows us that social change is not always linear: innovation often comes from looking to the past and giving certain practices new meaning. At GAD3, we firmly believe that social research is key to fully understanding these phenomena. Only then can we interpret current reality and anticipate the changes that are yet to come. And this intersection between tradition and digitalisation that Generation Z shows us may undoubtedly be one of the keys to the evolution of society in the coming years.
Therefore, let us not stop looking analytically at the past and the present, as they are what will allow us to understand the future.
