A Letter to Gen Z: Apathy is the New Status Symbol

By Bridget Li

During a single Twitter scroll session, I usually come across a dozen posts that unsettle me about my future: pictures of the barren BC North Shore mountains in December, statistics highlighting the struggling job market, soaring rent prices, and more. My generation is shouldering global crises. We are Sisyphus, except we are pushing a hundred boulders up the hill instead of one. 

Many of these causes are championed by young people worldwide: people who protest tirelessly, vote at every opportunity, and sacrifice personal gratifications for the greater good. Yet, so many of these people are tired. They’re burning out, desensitized by the pile-up, becoming distrustful of institutions and politicians. What has become most jarring to me is that when those advocates withdraw, they leave a gaping hole in youth advocacy–with no one interested to take their place.

Among my peers, apathy is everywhere. Many choose to bury their heads in the sand, avoiding political issues or shrugging off their consequences. They care more about their fantasy leagues or Clash Royale than any political cause. It may be that some find politics annoying or dismiss it as overly “woke”. I get it–it’s especially hard to stay engaged when social media algorithms are programmed to glue us to our screens.

Political engagement no longer feels like an obligation attached to citizenship. 

At McGill, privilege stands as the biggest reason why we excuse political apathy. Many of my peers live in bubbles of privilege. We come from similar backgrounds and form circles that enable apathetic behaviour. Most of us aren’t from Northern or rural communities; many students live in the Greater Toronto Area. Our families aren’t threatened by USAID cuts or becoming climate change refugees, we’re citizens of the Global North. We rarely interact with people living around the median income. Our parents are the 1%. Privilege shields people from the consequences of predatory political practices, so the stakes feel lower. 

So, our attention shifts to the material. Can we get the boots we wanted for 30% off on Black Friday? Will we get tickets to Blues this Friday? In the grand scheme of things, these things don’t matter. Not when the Royal Victoria Hospital was potentially built on top of unmarked graves. Not when there are people sleeping in the freezing winter on Park. We prioritize our personal convenience and reputation over what’s good for our community. I’ve even had friends opt out of wearing masks or helmets out of fear of losing “aura”. 

I’ve learned that politics and governance can never be divorced from health outcomes. Climate change threatens air quality. Unsupported mental health issues are often precursors to homelessness. Trump gutting scientific discovery will kill cancer patients. 

When fewer people are informed and vote, even fewer people decide who shapes the policies and laws that govern our lives. As more turn to social media for news or guidance, they become vulnerable to disinformation. Apathy produces real-life bystander effects; we risk becoming ignorant of our neighbours’ struggles. 

I’m urging you to care.

It’s impossible to dedicate yourself to every cause, but everyone can find something to be passionate about and get informed. There are countless social justice movements – surely one speaks to you. What impacts your family, identity or community? 

McGill is one of the best higher-education institutions in the world. We’re privileged to be living in such a beautiful city, in a safe and democratic country. If we want those coveted med school acceptances, big law offers, and six-figure salaries, we need to demonstrate the leadership, knowledge and allyship to deserve them. 