BY: RAKHSHANDA ZAHIR
Courage, resilience, audacity falls into the category of human spirit. The chronological order of the human potential is far from over. There are stories, myriads and Greek mythologies of past, present and future that lies ahead. Growing up, these stories turned into historical mysteries and came out as a test of time. Such anecdotes and insights from our past leaves us with questions to ask and answers to find. The past that we left behind and the present that we are in, demands all our courage and fortitude to break the chains of childhood traumas. As homo sapiens, we are a by product of our actions. The deeds we do defines us and our identities.
We live in a multi dimensional and a culturally rich country where news bombardment is a norm but consuming news on a daily basis can be overwhelming leading to anxiety, frustration and eventually depression. Our reactions and responses in such scenarios brings us the sheer gift of thinking. Known as the greatest of all creatures we often limit ourselves. Generation X, early boomers, millennials and us GenZ have been the victim of sad histories.
We are facing the brunt of it all be it the coalition of governments, political and social unrest, psychological upheaval or generally life and vitality. Such events lead up to nowhere and keep its head indoors in the confined zones of solitude. Victims of sad stories become true warriors of resilience, intelligence and creativity. This generation is difficult to please and makes its own decisions by falling to red tapes and red flags. During pre partition, millennials and boomers were silent spectators to the ugliness around but this generation is far beyond the control of world powers. Widely known as the depressed generation, these set of people have undergone innumerable cycles of unhealed traumas.
Their journey from confinement to freedom is a testament to the fact that they are the future. The world has become home to the largest youth population, 1.8 billion and in the darkness of this confinement destiny has time and again nodded in agreement where dignity and respect has found a home under the vigilant gaze of the early humans because they tended to the homeless and poor. Our actions today can ensure a thriving tomorrow but sadly the onset of modern technology has turned our vitality into just a memory of old times.
Generation Z sift through the pages of history by being a hub of unyielding and positive energy. They had a fascinating past but a conflict ridden present. Since the human race began, the battle has intensified in the dusty plains and fast forward to recent years they have received global attention. It’s a constant struggle to stay grounded in such a distorted reality through both kinetic and non kinetic measures because far away from human civilization this world seems to have made no moral progress since historical times.
Today’s youth is often surrounded by overwhelming landscape and stars facing leadership crisis, institutional corruption, lack of focus on education, lack of meritocracy, poor democratic system, injustice, poor intellectual development and inequitable distribution of resources. Shaping societies, cultures and economies how homo sapiens rose to dominate the earth? GenZ is a powerhouse that walked out of shadows and straight into the history books as they are the reason behind the micro and macro development of Pakistan. Sometimes, their temperament turns volatile and keeps a loud tone but it’s not too late to turn the tide. They whisper stories of heritage and tradition because they were born out of a dream for freedom.
They are often forced to accept monetary settlements in exchange of their silence. They are a page from history and a generation that minds have registered and the hearts have endured. The 21st century has made it difficult for them to adapt to hostile environment. Such stories of lawlessness and mental barriers leads to rote learning and farce tales.
Our modern, tech driven world has given space and exposure to new ideas. The emergence and evolution of sharp minds is a beautiful testament to behold and regain with all its glory and glamour. We have seen the rise and fall of nations by being affected the most but today’s unapologetic GenZ is not an ordinary human but extraordinary individuals with a big heart.
Such spaces turns out haunting and disturbing for the youth of today but the world watches closely as this GenZ revolution continues to unfold. When nature regenerates everything they extend far beyond comics and often clashes with a leader who had turned increasingly authoritarian. Their legacy will resonate through their innovative tunes as they have always competed in friendly fairs. Resilience and resistance are perhaps their trademark characteristics but is seldom covered in public interactions.
Erupted over past grievances, the younger generation are far apart in intellect and growth but 26 million children, a staggering figure places Pakistan among the countries with the highest number of children who are not receiving formal education. GenZ’s growth mindset takes them to a place where no man has gone before. Therefore, the human civilization has been in a constant battle since ancient times. During the pre historic era, homo sapiens had little knowledge about how the world works.
In order to fit in, they searched and researched. It was indeed a wanderer’s tale where they had found peace through chaos. Life before the evolution of science was a scarce world with limited or no resources. It was the early century when humanity was lacking at all forums. This was a dark period where luxury was a mere dream and contemporary elegance, a complete disgrace.
Today the enigmatic world where once simplicity reigned has changed and brought on a revolution of its own. A world without technology is a nicely curated tale of monotony, illiteracy and escapism. At a time when astronauts and UFOs were considered a promising possession scientists and progressive minds were narrating stories of the past which makes no sense to us and as humans and individuals we fall to clumsiness and pitfalls. Drastically, we are looking for a change.
Life without technology is a life unworthy of the fortunate luxuries that the world has to offer. It is hard to separate fact from fiction at a time when imagining a world without technology becomes unbearable and out of reach. There is no sustainable future without the use of machines and robotic gadgets as life before science was indeed a classic downfall for the man of today.
The present world is moving at a rapid speed with the circumstantial evolution of the modern era. 90s Pakistan saw its own downright sad at the face of crumbling economy and disparity. Humanity has failed us time and again but actions speak louder than words and today’s moment has changed for the better. It is a sad history of our adjoining borders where we had people who founded space and Pakistan’s first ever nuclear program whereas today our neighbor has reached the moon through the efforts of its GenZpopulation. A tech driven Pakistan can fulfill the gap between us and our counterparts.
In order to become the scientific giants that once Pakistan has produced it is important for us to understand our shared knowledge and scientific heroism. Generation Z makes up the second largest population worldwide and have scratched beyond the surface to prove their heroic selves to the world by being agents of change and character development. Sometimes, we reflect on Pakistan’s quest for economic liberation and its digital roadmap but what is needed for Pakistan to have its own Silicon Valley? The world is changing in big ways but what will be the new world order?
By adding something to the universal pool of knowledge that has serenaded the world for over decades a brazen liberty is only afforded to us by history. This generation finds immense joy in the simplest things by raising alarm bells. In this rapidly changing world they can go to the extent of blurring the lines between right and wrong by valuing human rights that transcends political lines. As emotionally resilient souls they know that solutions are always within reach. They never bottle up their emotions and believes in letting it all out.
They are not just a window into the past but a path towards a prosperous tomorrow. Under sincere leaderships and wise policies, Pakistan should work on its economy to preserve the welfare of its young and struggling population as they often tend to move abroad for better opportunities. In an increasingly interconnected world, Pakistan’s economic turmoil is stripping the country of its talent and the constant brain drain is robbing Pakistan of its future.
Despite being a progressive nation in the 50s and 60s Pakistan has been navigating a divided world in order to restore its balance. As citizens of this beautiful country we must wake up from our delusional state of self pity as it is neither intrinsic nor organic. Our country’s socio political climate reflects our monotony by adding a new layer of complexity and tensions to an already volatile situation. In a world where justice often bends to power the rhythmic echoes of poetry takes on its own distinct form. A world where hope fades with each passing day and the edifice of the social contract will collapse if we don’t celebrate the shared heritage that binds us all.
Rakhshanda Zahir is the author of the book A NOSTALGIC SILENCE and a Co author of three anthologies DREAMS AND DELUSIONS, EVERY WOMAN IS EXCEPTIONAL and WHISPERS OF TODAY.
