By Chloe Baker, Senior Opinions Editor
Imagine a world where terrorists are celebrated, mass murder is rationalized and sleeping with 100 strangers in a single day is hailed as an achievement. Welcome to the modern West – where moral clarity has been replaced with chaos and confusion.
Over the last decade, Gen Z has made its mark on history. They’re famously known for being heavily involved in social justice movements, advocating for mental health resources, using social media to create new careers, building brands online, being politically active and embracing globalization. All of these outlets have been created by Gen Zers who remain authentic and individualistic while doing so. They not only embrace, but celebrate their differences. Gen Z has proven itself to be the “woke generation,” but is being woke always a good thing? Is it worth it to be overly progressive at the expense of losing your moral compass?
The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “woke” as being “aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice).” While being woke and broadly aware of the world and its intricacies is a valuable asset, lately, this wokeness has presented itself as a curse. Being “woke” and accepting of all people and things – no matter how obscure they might be – can lead to contradictions and massive moral blindspots. Certain behaviors recently celebrated by Gen Z reflect a broad loss of traditional values and an inability to recognize genuine harm.
In early December, when United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in an assassination by 26 year old Luigi Mangione, the internet went crazy. Many Gen Zers created memes of Mangione, fan pages for him, celebrated him and referred to him not as a killer, but as their “hero.” Members of Gen Z view him as someone who defied the constraints of capitalism. As if the memes and online praise were not enough, people went as far as to create the hashtag #FreeLuigi and flood his existing social media with thousands of followers. While there are many existing and heartbreaking problems within the American healthcare system, specifically relating to insurance, praising a killer is not the way that anything is ever going to be fixed. If anything, this mob-made praise encourages other potential acts of violence and makes our generation look foolish. In the case of Mangione, this Gen Z “wokeness” was glorified at the expense of a basic moral principle: killing is wrong.
Gen Zers were quick to praise a killer who attempted to denounce capitalism, but in a separate instance, when someone tried to take precautions in relation to public safety, Gen Z went up in arms, and demonized that man, accusing him of being a racist murderer. In May 2023, Jordan Neely, a mentally-ill homeless man, boarded a subway and started throwing things and making threats to kill people. 24 year old ex-marine, Daniel Penny, decided to step in and put a stop to things. He held Neely in a chokehold for minutes until Neely stopped moving. He died from the compression of his neck. On December 9, 2024, a jury declared Penny not guilty of criminally negligent homicide, however, many in the public labeled him as a “racist murderer.” The differences in these two scenarios are striking. One person is being called a hero, and the other a killer. The same people who called Penny a murderer openly celebrated Mangione.
The society created by Gen Z glorifies murder under certain narratives. Because Thompson was a rich business man, it was okay, if not necessary to murder him. When an ex-marine does something out of a want to preserve public safety on the subway, it is seen as murder. Gen Z demands accountability and justice, but only in cases that fit their “woke” agenda.
While the cases of Mangione and Penny reveal how Gen Z elevates questionable narratives into moral crusades, this trend isn’t confined to acts of violence or public safety. It extends into the realm of personal behavior, where extreme actions are celebrated under the guise of empowerment. Nowhere is this more evident than in the new Youtube documentary I Slept With 100 Men in One Day, a chilling example of how shock value, and degradation, is mistaken for liberation.
In the documentary, filmmaker Josh Pieters follows Onlyfans star, Lily Philips as she “embarks on a stunt to sleep with 100 men in one day.” In the movie, Philip’s claims to “love her job,” all while her PR team and assistants encourage her behavior. They give her snacks and electrolytes during this momentous day to “sustain her,” but in reality, they should be feeding her with genuine support against her actions. Instead of encouraging this behavior, they should caution against it. By the end of Philip’s day sleeping with 100 men, she is visibly drained, both emotionally and physically, yet she plans to challenge herself even more, by pledging to sleep with 1000 men in February. Judging by her appearance, this “career milestone” is straining her. The support from her PR team reflects a modern day culture that prioritizes viral moments and shock value over genuine concern for the person behind the act.
Ironically, if a man undertook such a stunt, the reaction would likely be very critical, with accusations of predatory behavior or an unhealthy sexual drive. However, because we live in an era of “female empowerment,” Philip’s challenge was seen as an act of bravery and liberation. But real feminism shouldn’t encourage women to degrade themselves.
When did we as a generation decide that the pursuit of virality at the expense of human dignity is acceptable? When will these harmful behaviors stop being celebrated and encouraged? When will people begin to hear this cry for help?
The influence of social media and viral culture, along with selective outrage, have penetrated the veins of Gen Z and led to moral confusion among the masses. The desire to appear morally superior or aligned with the most popular social movements of the day have caused our generation to lose sight of moral clarity. While progressivism has proven itself to be a good thing, too much of it has caused the rejection of traditional values in favor of radical individualism.
The West can address this moral decline by reinforcing the importance of critical thinking, and a proper education. It’s as simple as opening a book as opposed to opening your phone. Too many times has Gen Z relied on TikTok and other social media platforms as a source of news to gain information on the world at large, but in reality, they are being fed biased narratives. If we want to restore balance and order in a world that is so out of order, we must beg the question of how to foster a generation that values progress and social justice without sacrificing its valuable, moral foundation.
Photo Caption: A “Free Luigi” sticker in N.Y.
Photo Credit: Chloe Baker