Generation Z is sparking a silent revolution through social media and protests, demanding basic rights and governance transparency across several countries. Born amid collective traumas, this generation prefers personal expression over grand collective dreams. Examples from Nepal, Madagascar, and Morocco illustrate their pragmatic push for change.
The opinion piece describes how historical defeats, like the Orabi Revolution, burdened previous generations with collective despair. Salah Issa writes in 'Tales from the Nation’s Notebook': 'The wounds left by the defeat of the Orabi Revolution weighed heavily on that generation, especially its intellectuals.' Generation Z, however, grew up amid collective traumas and upheavals, finding refuge in smartphones and platforms like TikTok and Instagram to build their own worlds.
This generation shares a uniform aesthetic: dark colors, avoiding direct camera gazes, as one remarks: 'When I look directly into the lens, it feels like I’m posing for a family portrait.' Drawing on psychologist Gustave Le Bon's crowd theory, they opt for personal emotional unity over irrational masses. In Nepal, September 2025 protests under the 'Generation Z' banner demanded lifting social media bans, education reforms, and the prime minister's resignation, resulting in 50-70 deaths and government resignation.
In Madagascar, 'Generation Z' led demonstrations against poor public services, killing 22 and dissolving the government. In Morocco, the 'Gen Z 212' movement started online, calling for better education, healthcare, jobs, and anti-corruption efforts, met with crackdowns. They seek error-free governance serving people, echoing Al-Tayeb Salih: 'What we want from the government is simple: One — not to make mistakes. Two — to serve the people.' Focused on transparency and modern administration, they pragmatically shed past defeats.