After years of partisan politics, increasingly divisive rhetoric, blame-shifting, and inflammatory language have fostered an environment of fear and uncertainty. This climate not only impacts political dynamics but also shapes the priorities and perceptions of young people.
As a developmental psychologist studying the intersection of media and adolescent mental health—and as a mother of two Gen Z children—I’ve witnessed firsthand how external societal factors can profoundly influence young people’s emotional well-being.
This reality was underscored by the results of a recent survey I conducted with colleagues, involving 1,644 young people across the U.S., aged 10 to 24. The study wasn’t designed as a political poll but rather as a window into what truly matters to adolescents. Participants were asked to rate the importance of 14 personal goals, including classic teenage aspirations like “being popular,” “having fun,” and “being kind.”
None of these ranked as the top priority. Instead, the No. 1 answer was “to be safe.”
### What Was Once Taken for Granted
The findings are both illuminating and heartbreaking. As a teenager, I engaged in countless risky behaviors without a second thought. My peers and I didn’t dwell on potential harm; we chased fun and freedom.
In contrast, today’s youth are growing up in an era of compounded crises—school shootings, a worsening climate crisis, financial instability, and the lingering trauma of a global pandemic. While our research didn’t pinpoint the specific causes of their fears, the constant exposure to these crises, amplified by social media, likely plays a significant role in fostering a pervasive sense of worry.
Despite data showing that many aspects of life are safer now than in previous generations, young people don’t feel it. Their perception of danger is further shaped by events like the recent wildfires that devastated Los Angeles, reinforcing a belief that danger—often linked to global crises like climate change—lurks everywhere.
This shift in perspective has profound implications for the future of this generation and those to come.
### A Particularly Vulnerable Time
Adolescence, like early childhood, is a pivotal period for brain development. Young people are highly sensitive to their surroundings as their brains evaluate the environment to prepare them for independence.
This developmental stage—when the ability to regulate emotions and critically assess information is still maturing—makes them especially vulnerable to lasting impacts. Studies show that adolescents are more likely to overestimate risks and struggle to contextualize threats. This makes them particularly susceptible to fear-driven messaging prevalent in both traditional and social media, which is further amplified by political rhetoric and blame-shifting.
Such vulnerability has significant implications for their mental health. Prolonged exposure to fear and uncertainty has been linked to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and even physical health issues. When the media Gen Z consumes is dominated by fear—whether through headlines, social media posts, political rhetoric, or even storylines in movies and TV—it can shape their worldview in ways that may reverberate for generations.
### The Enduring Impact on Generations
Historical events have long been shown to shape the worldview of entire generations. For example, the Great Depression profoundly influenced the daily lives of the Silent Generation (born 1928–1945), and its effects on financial attitudes and security concerns echoed into the Baby Boomer generation (born 1946–1964), shaping how they approached money, stability, and risk throughout their lives.
Similarly, today’s adolescents, growing up amid a series of compounded global crises, will likely carry the imprint of this era of heightened fear and uncertainty well into adulthood. This formative experience could influence their mental health, decision-making, and even their collective identity and values for decades to come.
Moreover, feelings of insecurity and instability can make individuals more responsive to fear-based messaging, potentially influencing their political and social choices. In an era marked by the rise of authoritarian governments, this susceptibility could have far-reaching consequences, as fear often drives people to prioritize immediate safety over moral or ideological ideals.
These dynamics may profoundly shape how this generation engages with the world, the causes they champion, and the leaders they choose to follow.
### A Glimmer of Hope?
Interestingly, “being kind” ranked No. 2 in our survey, regardless of demographics. While safety dominates their priorities, adolescents still value qualities that foster connection and community. This finding highlights a duality in their aspirations: even as they feel a pervasive sense of danger, they recognize the importance of interpersonal relationships and emotional well-being.
Our findings underscore the need to examine the broader societal context shaping adolescent development. For instance, the rise in school-based safety drills, while intended to provide preparedness, may unintentionally reinforce feelings of insecurity. Similarly, apocalyptic narratives around climate change may create a sense of powerlessness, further compounding their fears and leading to disengagement.
Understanding how these perceptions are formed—and their implications for mental health, decision-making, and behavior—is essential for parents, educators, policymakers, and researchers.
I believe we must also consider how societal systems contribute to the pervasive sense of uncertainty and fear among youth. Further research can help untangle the complex relationship between external stressors, media consumption, and youth well-being, shedding light on how to best support adolescents during this formative stage of life.
Ultimately, addressing these challenges requires a collective effort to create a safer, more compassionate world—one where young people can thrive without being overshadowed by fear.
Heading out for a run? Don't forget your ring light. If you've spent any time on RunTok, you've probably noticed how some running influencers make their long-distance runs look like a breeze. They're the Nara Smiths of the fitness world—except instead of crafting artisanal sourdough in designer outfits, they're flashing a perfectly composed smile into the camera at mile nine. Even while maintaining an impressive pace, they chat effortlessly with their followers, holding their phones at just the right angle to capture stunning landscapes as they glide by. Their sweat is always minimal, glowing but never dripping, and they finish their double-digit miles in record time, looking as fresh as when they started.
While you may be familiar with these influencers, you might wonder how they manage to film such athletic feats so beautifully. Some social media users are so frustrated by this phenomenon that they've decided to investigate further. One such user, Gabriela Galavis (@marigabitere), believes these influencers are faking it and is determined to expose them.
"Since everyone seems convinced they're not lying, I'm going to try running like a running influencer," she says in a January 20 YouTube Short. "For the first mile, I'll take it easy; I only have a 10K to complete today," she continues, updating her viewers on her pace and progress in the same polished style as the popular influencers. By the end of her run, she appears virtually unscathed—or so it seems.
"Did I do a 10K today? Absolutely," she reveals, cutting to a more realistic clip of herself flushed and drenched in sweat after actually completing her run. "All I've done here is walk a mile and casually record some parts of it."
While this doesn't definitively prove that all running influencers are faking their content, it does highlight how easily it can be done. "Don't let these influencers fool you into thinking filming and running is easy," another creator adds on TikTok. "It's not."
Following other infamous influencer confessions—where several fitness influencers admitted to using cosmetic procedures, hiring personal trainers to do their workouts, or relying on weight-loss medications—it's no surprise that people are becoming more skeptical about who they follow online. We're not saying all your favorite running influencers are being dishonest, but if their content feels overly staged or unrealistic, there might be a reason for that. Ultimately, accredited fitness experts remain the best sources for reliable advice. And if you ask us, Strava screenshots or it didn't happen.