People have controversial opinions regarding the social media posts that Generation-Z actively upload about different social issues: while some people believe that it is a new way of activism among Gen-Z, others believe that these teenagers are falling into Savior Complex, which is helping others in a motive to feel good about themselves. Some people might argue that this isn’t a serious problem at all, as it is a positive sign of teenagers being attentive to what is happening around the world. However, others argue as teenagers’ justice-oriented activism increases, their display of superiority is also increasing as they are using activism to boost their self esteem and to feel “helpful”.
As there were many conflicts about this issue, three people from our school, Mr. Zottoli, Ted Kim, and Brian Kim, shared their ideas. These interviewees varied in their experience and ages as Mr. Zottoli was a knowledgeable expert from Generation-X while Ted and Brian were peers from Generation Z.
Mr. Zottoli, AP Psychology teacher and sociology professional, said, “I think that the element of social media oftentimes is trying to not only do something because you feel, but also trying to get an audience or the reaction.” Here, an expert agrees that some aspects of social media make people want something in return for their moral actions. However, he adds that “Every generation has the thing that they have passion about. I think the difference between Generation X and Generation Z is that Generation Z is running out of time. So they feel that they have to make a difference because if they don’t, there are larger consequences.” He also defended Gen-Z by suggesting that they are eager to solve social problems because they have less time to fix them.
Brian Kim from Gen-Z does not post about social issues on his social media platforms but has witnessed his peers doing so constantly. He said, “I certainly saw my friends bragging their Instagram posts about climate change and colored people”. He agreed that many of his friends from Gen-Z are using social media and activism with misguided intentions. He also mentioned that he often felt uncomfortable seeing those posts because he knows that his peers are just faking themselves as thoughtful individuals who care about others.
Just as Brian mentioned, some students from KISJ (Korea International School Jeju) also seemed to be falling in Savior Complex recently. A few months ago, a big group of students uploaded “Save the Elephants” posts on their social accounts. While their intentions seemed to be good, there wasn’t a single person who really knew what was happening to the poor elephants.
Ted Kim, who was one of the students who uploaded “Save the Elephants” posts, confronted his fault by saying, “Although I had good intention, part of me made me post those because I cared about what other people will think of me.” Ted agreed that he has fallen into the savior complex before and understood how dangerous it was to care what other people would think of him. He also mentioned that he wanted to help eliminate the savior complex and refresh our minds with good, pure intentions to help others. He also agreed that Gen-Z’s use of cute emojis and images to combat against real-life problem for others is making the problem seem much less serious.
Gen-Z can be heroes. But heroes never want something in return for their actions. It is an undeniable fact that Generation Z is very passionate and active as they set different trends and show unique perspectives. In whilst, it is important to keep in mind that Generation Z is nothing more special than other generations. While this article does not intend to hinder youth from spreading their beliefs, it is raising awareness of the savior complex, which can happen anytime by anyone. Just as Ted said in his interview, Gen-Z is heroes, but other generations also are.
Without falling into savior complex, everyone can inspire one another by their passion.
While the term “Savior Complex” may not be familiar to everyone, it would be relatable to all audiences once they understand what it means. Some people may have noticed teenagers’ postings about current social issues like racism, climate change, and animal protection. Though some people might have nodded their heads in appreciation for young activists who are voicing their opinions, this article introduces another perspective of Gen-Z’s activism in social media. This problem is significant to everyone as Gen-Z’s savior complex is creating a false assumption that Gen-Z alone is the hero to save the world, hindering other generations from getting recognition for their continued effort from the past. This article would warn the teenagers to effectively differentiate their passion and their motivation to get recognized while arguing that every generation has an equal opportunity to impact the world.