A few days ago, an article about Gen-Z was published.
Shortly after, it was removed from the website. However, the printed version had already circulated, and soon the article went viral. If we closely read and deconstruct the text written by the young scholar, we realize that he did not say anything extraordinary. He merely put into words what we discuss in our routines. The real reason behind the article’s sudden popularity was not its content, but its censorship. If the newspaper authorities had not removed it, it might have passed quietly, read by a limited audience and forgotten the next day.
As a nation, we are unfortunately not deeply inclined toward reading or literature, and serious writing rarely becomes a topic of mass discussion. Ironically, the article was originally meant for those who regularly read newspapers. They read it with their morning tea and then moved on with their routines. This incident once again proves that suppression often gives more power to words than freedom ever could.
This situation also reflects a painful reality that many young people experience. We, the youth, often feel that we are being exploited by the older generation. Our ideas, energy, and skills are used, but our presence is ignored. I personally experienced this when a person from the Non-Government Organization (NGO), who pathetically turned out to be a PhD Scholar, gave me a manuscript to edit voluntarily. I gave my time, effort, and knowledge sincerely.
However, neither was my name mentioned in the acknowledgments nor was I introduced on stage during the sitting on that book in the Hyderabad Press Club. And he spoke lies on the stage with perfect confidence. This incident forced me to reflect deeply. It made me realize that a significant part of the older generation has the ability—and sometimes the habit—of using the talents of the young without creating space for them. They rarely open doors, create opportunities, or introduce young minds to platforms that could uplift them. Instead of mentoring, they often dominate.
Instead of empowering, they overshadow. This behaviour creates frustration, silence, and resentment among the youth. However, it would be unjust to paint everyone with the same brush. Just as all five fingers are not equal, the same applies to the older generation. Not all elders are exploitative. Many genuinely believe in the younger generation. They trust our potential, even when we make mistakes and blunders. Instead of being rude or narcissistic, they choose to guide us with patience. They listen, they learn, and most importantly, they adapt. Such people understand that we are the leaders of tomorrow. They know that leadership is not born from perfection but from experience.
Mistakes are not failures; they are lessons. If we are not allowed to make errors today, how will we learn to lead tomorrow? These elders follow the true spirit of Darwin’s idea of survival—not by crushing the young, but by evolving themselves. They transform with time, embrace change, and walk alongside Gen-Z instead of standing in their way.
—The writer is a contributing columnist, based in Hyderabad, Sindh.
