Reflecting on the state of our world and especially Generation Z, a particular concern arises from the disconnection many young people feel from a greater purpose, a divine purpose, if you will. This disconnect, this absence of a cause larger than oneself, seems to be shaping their behaviors in alarming ways.
Gen Z, often dubbed the "TikTok generation," are prolific on the social media platform. And through it, a trend seems to be emerging, which is both disturbing and perplexing. A virality of self-proclaimed mental disorders has cropped up, a bizarre and narcissistic competition where young people vie for recognition based on who struggles more with their mental health.
This fixation on personal suffering, I believe, may stem from an absence of purpose in these young people's lives. When disconnected from a meaningful cause—one grand enough that it might take lifetimes to fulfill—young people will become self-focused rather than looking outward to the world.
If you see yourself as part of a larger journey—say, the journey of humanity to build a better world or fulfill a religious prophecy—your perspective shifts. You begin to see yourself as an instrument within the grand symphony of existence, and this can evoke a sense of purpose and belonging.
In the absence of such a purpose, negativity and narcissism tends to creep in. There's a tendency to consume news obsessively, to indulge in pessimistic hot takes, to descend into depression or nihilism. The world appears as an endless stream of sarcasm, making one negative and unhappy, leading to the belief that attacking others on the internet is a norm.
Without purpose, the existential question, "What's the purpose of anything?" starts to echo louder and louder. In this hollow space, a contest emerges over who can be more "woke" to life's supposed purposelessness. It's a destructive mindset, and in the worst-case scenario, it prompts a perverse aspiration: to gain notoriety on TikTok for their mental disorders.
The link between this lack of divine purpose and the desire to be mentally ill is deeply troubling. Because we as humans have the capacity to shape our mindset and character based on our beliefs, we can, in practice, manifest mental illness.
The consequence? We're witnessing millions of young people around the world potentially manifesting mental illness.
And the solution? Community.
To me, the remedy lies in fostering a sense of community that serves the highest possible purpose one can imagine. Only then can we guide our young people away from this self-destructive cycle and towards a healthier and more purposeful existence.