BLOG 1: FREEDOM IN FLUX: DECODING THE MILLENNIALS – GEN Z DIVIDE

What comes to mind when we hear the terms "Gen Z" and "Millennials"? Is it just a social generation or something else? It seems like a constant and heated debate, more like antonyms. Every individual is busy trying to figure out whether they belong to the Millennial category or Gen Z, as these terms are too flexible regarding values, beliefs, and culture, but rigid when it comes to age and social generation. One must differentiate when decoding what freedom means for GEN Z and Millennials today.

Talking about the common scenario, Millennials and Gen Z differ in many ways. If Millennials prefer their comfort zone, Gen Z tends to thrive. Millennials are mostly socially aware, informed, and opinionated, while Gen Z are sceptical and highly active individuals surviving through a side hustle mentality. Millennials usually prefer to submit themselves to the ‘Either Black or White' notion, whereas Gen Z tries to discover the possible grey areas in every aspect of life. We can’t expect two different individuals to be the same; similarly, two entire generations can't be the same. Everything will differ, including the ability to adopt and understand, the taste in art and literature, social and cultural beliefs, as well as economic standards.     

Generally, as Millennials are more rooted in tradition and culture, they try to uphold the cultural lineage and also believe in collective responsibility.  These individuals face a constant struggle between their cultural values while countering the influence of modernity. As they believe in collective responsibility, they tend to become conformists and hence their concept of freedom is limited to economic, social, and political independence, where they consider themselves as a part of a collective whole not standing against any order while being in their own shell. They always ensure that they will not question their cultural, economic, and political roots, and no Western thing will invade their freedom of living.

Whereas Gen Zs have a completely different approach towards life and freedom. Generally, they are non-conformist, highly individualistic, Techno-savvy people. Up to some extent, they are already uprooted from their cultural traditional roots due to the maximum influence of postmodern concerns. As they are highly individualistic, they sort of cut themselves off from the notion of collective responsibility, and they prefer prioritizing self over others.  This generation mostly connects with the Western understanding of absolute freedom. For them, digital and creative freedom, Freedom of speech and expression as well as Freedom from traditional norms, is very much important than anything else in this world. Unlike Millennials, they believe in absolute autonomy in every sphere of life. ‘Giving Space’ is the most commonly used phrase when it comes to defining the notion of freedom for Gen Zs.

As both generations have their own understanding of freedom, both of them face certain limitations to their knowledge. Sometimes, Millennials might seem too rigid to adopt certain things due to their restrictive sense of freedom, whereas Gen Z are more vulnerable to seclusion due to their individualistic approach. There is a thin line difference between freedom and arbitrariness, and most of the Gen Z believe in the arbitrariness of absolute freedom or a ‘freedom to do anything’. This makes them more even more vulnerable than millennials. Every generation has a different set of values and standard behavioral patterns, which is quite obvious. But relying upon unsuitable things under the name of freedom and other generation-specific standards should not be a common practice.        

In the Indian context, the notion of generation is very different.  We have a word ‘Pidhi’ which not only means a generation but it also connects with the deeper understanding of hereditary lineage that we should carry. The upcoming generation used to learn from the previous generation while also adapting to the current standards. In a sense, stability and change used to thrive together. Every society evolves differently with different generations and this notion of ‘difference’ can be taken in a positive way. A Millennial can’t just impose his standards of freedom on Gen Z, and even Gen Z should not label the previous generations as outdated.  

We might think then, which generation has the best understanding of the notion of freedom. The answer lies with us! Both generations should note the differences of opinion and they should subscribe to the mutual understanding about each other's notion of freedom. Not conforming to the Western conception of generation, generation gap and freedom while keeping up the common understanding alive might reduce such clashes between two generations. After all, generation is just a matter of time, whereas evolution and carrying the lineage is a continuous process where all human beings of every generation are interconnected.

In the end, freedom is not a one-size-fits-all concept. It is dynamic and deeply personal. Instead of drawing rigid lines, perhaps it’s time we embrace a shared dialogue, one that respects generational diversity and values coexistence over conflict. After all, true freedom lies not just in choosing our path, but also in understanding and respecting the choices of others across the generational spectrum.

Ms. Mansi Kulkarni

Asst. Professor

Dept. of English

FEU, SLAS

JSPM UNIVERSITY PUNE

BLOG 2: FREEDOM FOR MILLENNIALS AND GEN Z : A PSYCHOANALYTIC VIEWPOINT

For today's youth (Gen Z and Millennials), freedom needs much more than just political independence. It is about emotional acceptance, mental tranquilly, and self-expression. They are engaged in internal conflicts in the digital age, such as those over identity, anxiety, and self-worth, rather than external ones. We can better understand these deeper mental layers that shape our current understanding of freedom thanks to Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theory.

The id, ego, and superego are the three components of the human mind, according to Freud. The id desires instant pleasure and unrestricted freedom. The superego advises us to follow social norms. Id and superego are balanced by the ego. In today’s generation, we can see a clear conflict among these forces.

An example of this would be a young girl from a small Indian town who want to be an artist (id), but her family wants her to become an engineer (superego). She is conflicted, nervous, and uncertain. Here, the ego finds it difficult to choose a balance between expectations and personal goals. For many young Indians today, freedom is defined by this conflict between inner desire and external obligation.

Today’s youth don’t just want the freedom to speak, vote, or work along with it they want the freedom to feel. They wish to openly discuss mental health concerns. They want to be free of harmful customs, gender norms, and outdated social rules. According to Freud's theory, constant suppression of desires causes stress, depression, and even rebellion.

Mr. Monish Chavan
Assistant Professor        
School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (SLAS)  
Faculty of Education and Humanities  
JSPM University Pune