The Problem

We’re living in a generation that’s more digitally connected than ever yet somehow, we feel more divided, more anxious, and more alone.

Social media, politics, race, gender everything around us is pulling people apart. We’ve built invisible walls between groups, and those walls have turned into judgment, stereotypes, and silence.

But the real problem isn’t just technology or identity or disagreement.
The real problem is disconnection.

When we don’t talk to each other, we stop understanding each other. And when we don’t understand each other, we treat people like strangers or even worse, like enemies.

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That disconnection is showing up in three major ways:

  1. Division between people who could actually relate

    • 62% of Gen Z say they feel uncomfortable talking to someone with opposing political views (Pew Research, 2023)

    • 58% of young adults say America is “more divided than ever” and many feel unsure how to bridge the gap (Ipsos, 2024)

  2. Mental health struggles like loneliness, anxiety, and depression

    • 42% of Gen Z has been diagnosed with a mental health condition (Harmony Healthcare, 2024)

    • Over 50% report feeling persistently sad or hopeless (CDC Youth Risk Behavior Survey, 2023)

    • Gen Z reports the highest levels of anxiety and loneliness of any generation (APA, 2023)

  3. Social barriers that keep us from seeing the humanity in each other

    • Most young adults say they feel pressure to "stay in their lane" and avoid talking to people from different races, beliefs, or identities even though many wish they could (Gen Z Voices Study, 2023)

We’ve gotten used to scrolling past pain instead of responding to it. Used to assumptions instead of conversations. Used to silence instead of connection.

And it’s costing us emotionally, relationally, and culturally.

 

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