Gen Alpha calls the shots!
Read my well researched article in @live_mint and @livemintlounge, which gives a detailed perspective on this new influential generation that has left the best of us speechless at times.
- Authored by Avantika Bhuyan
Gen Alpha may still be very young but it’s already influencing family lifestyle choices. Discover this tech-savvy generation and its unique engagement with technology.
READ SNIPPETS OF THE ARTICLE BELOW
KHUSHNAAZ NORAS, a Mumbai-based consulting psychologist, says “It’s not all hunky-dory.”
Gen Alpha is the first generation to be born entirely in the 21st century. It is being hailed as the best educated, most technologically immersed, materially endowed and empowered generation ever.
“Information overload has emerged as a big challenge for Gen Alpha children and their parents. This generation is being bombarded by trivia, news, marketing messages, 24X7. How to sift relevant information could well become an issue.”
“It's no wonder then that they are being targeted aggressively by social media marketers and campaign creators. Today, most popular podcasts on Gen Alpha are being run by marketing agencies. They offer a sense of the different approaches that marketers should use and the keywords that should be employed to impress this generation. For instance, you will notice a lot of active phrases like "Get now", "Your app is missing you" and "deals", as opposed to "buy", "obtain".
Another noticeable consumption trend is the attraction of limited-edition products. "It is no longer enough to get something that everyone has.
Now you get limited - edition watches, shoes. Five-year-olds have smartwatches, while slightly older kids demand their own robots," says Mumbai-based psychologist Khushnaaz Noras.
There is, of course, a flip side to this excessive engagement with the screen: heightened reliance on social media influencers, a sense of worth that is often based on external validation, and information overload.
For, even if parents try to cap their screen time, there is no keeping this generation away from the screen.
Most homework requires online research. Many get on to online shopping sites from their parents' phones.
“While the intention behind Alpha's decision-making processes may be noble, and they try to get as many expert opinions as possible, all these answers are sought online. "And, often, unreliable sources put out this information. I have seen kids ask their parents, 'are good grades necessary?'. They will search online and often get the answer that grades are not all that important. Search engines have become the parameter for what is right or wrong," says Noras.
“Their developing minds are akin to small sponges. If you were to squeeze them, you would realise how much unnecessary information also goes in.”
“Often, regularly interacting with these influencers and experts online makes the children feel closer to them. There is no filter, so children tend to base their self-worth on the basis of such external stimuli. If I look like a K-pop star, I am okay, if not, am I worthless?”
“They might not be as easily influenced by their peers but they set stock by bloggers and celebrities. The Edited blog states that 55% of Gen Alpha children admitted they would buy a product worn by an influencer/YouTube star. "I have seen kids who have embarked on crash diets after going through a blog or a celebrity interview. K-dramas are so huge. Recently, a Canadian author, blogger Nalie Augustin - also a cancer survivor - passed away and a child mourned them so much, perhaps even more than for a relative," she adds.
Noras is already noticing a rise in discontent in this generation.
"Projection of a good life on social media platforms has become very important. This is across socioeconomic backgrounds -this need to show they are doing so much better than they actually are.”
“Children are seeing their self-worth being validated by the number of likes and views they get," says Noras.
“They run the risk of running social media accounts under fake names their parents don't know about. One can sometimes see children dressed inappropriately, or putting up insensitive posts that could trigger a peer. "Validation of the internet has gained importance. A mother saying 'I love you' or a therapist telling you that you are good enough is not working any more for many," says Noras.
“Metaverse gaming is emerging as a huge influence. Noras' daughter, who is 10, has been urging her to download a metaverse game. Such games sometimes take children away from reality-they no longer care about what kind of house they actually stay in, worrying more about how their villa looks in the metaverse. They end up interacting online with gamers who might be child predators in disguise. "Such games are technically free to be downloaded. But, then, to get small avatars or to get a level up, you have to pay. It is not so much about your gaming skill as about your power to buy. In a game, you are one purchase away from happiness or feeling validated. I was told by a child that he feels disadvantaged. His friends in the metaverse have this kind of outfit and that kind of house, and he feels left out," she says.
