Roots in Crisis: Gen Z and the Birth of a New Counter-Culture

Written by Jhonatan Bernal, the first entry in the column Roots in Crisis.

In between all of the brainrot, all the AI generated slop and occasional funny reel, I ran into AI

voiceovers of Peter Griffin advocating for radical Marxism and other ideologies. Peter Griff

now a symbol of ideological discourse amongst Gen-Z. This is particularly true for exploring ideas

which are contrary to the status quo. The sheer absurdity of a cartoon character revering Karl

Marx or other philosophers was enough to drive engagement. How is this generation powering a

countercultural force unlike any before? I believe the answer is through the Internet on social

media, on streaming sites, on discussion platforms, etc.

For many economic instability has been a constant in our lives. Impressionable minds were

exposed to institutions made frail by austerity, by Brexit, by the pandemic. Disillusionment over

jobs and housing is widespread amongst young people, especially in Edinburgh. In addition, we

are far more eco-anxious than the generations before us. Figures like Greta Thunberg and

movements like Extinction Rebellion have galvanised the youth politically, often being an entry

point into wider countercultural discussion. Our digital nativism also plays an immense role.

Naturally comfortable with social media and the ever-evolving technology around us, we have

appropriated digital platforms to amplify our voices, connect global ideas and respond to the

events that shape our planet. The conditions for a massive counterculture has existed in Gen-Z

and is expressing itself in rather unique ways.

Central to the Gen-Z experience are memes. Collectively, we consume an unlimited amount of

memes every day, which increasingly closely reflect our worldview and gripes with the status quo

For example, the ‘This is fine’ dog captures the overwhelming nature of chaos through irony. It

versatility has allowed it to be used to comment on inequality, climate change, mental health and

personal struggles. Memes are powerful, but more importantly, accessible, tools for critiquing

systemic issues. They offer an outlet to laugh at the absurdity of their struggles and to f

solidarity across the globe. Despite the chaos, we relate to the dog’s perseverance; we find th

courage to keep on going. The Distracted Boyfriend meme, ‘OK Boomer’ and Peter Griffin ha

shown our generation’s tendency to use irony and humour in culture to convey our diverse ideas.

Internet figures such as Kai Cenat and IShowSpeed have used their platforms to elevate marginal voices to audiences of millions across the world. Similarly, Internet content surrounding the genocide in Gaza has been enough to undermine the Western and Israeli narratives on TV. Even the collectively acknowledged absurdity of ‘Skibidi Toilet’ represents a generation far more willing to question the content they see on the Internet, even if it is to complain about

our rotting brains.

'This is fine' Dog Meme

Memes are not a magical tool for ‘wokeifying’ the masses though. Politicians, Corporations and

billionaires have tried to capitalise on meme culture to undermine its subversive nature. This

happens by either co-opting the humour and irony or through misinformation. A recent notable

example is Kamala Harris’ embrace of Brat Summer in the lead up to America's election. Spain’s

KFC Instagram account has also been known for successfully embracing meme culture in its

advertising. Nevertheless, memes have also perpetuated, harmful stereotypes and hateful

ideologies which misrepresent the truth. Alarmingly, Elon Musk has retweeted several misinformed

and reactionary memes, amplifying them through his $44 billion Twitter megaphone. Due to the

ever-present yet mysterious algorithm, memes have also found themselves reinforcing echo

chambers. Andrew Tate’s popularity through short-form content and memes has been proof of the

challenges that Gen-Z faces in developing their counterculture. The quick consumption of

TikToks, reels and memes also hinder more profound engagement with the content and its

message.

An appropriation of meme culture by Elon Musk to advance his own narrative.

Intertwined with the digital realm is our embrace of radical inclusivity. Economic rights, civil rights

and LGBTQ+ acceptance are broadly popular in our cultural rebellion against institutionalised

exclusion. Pushes for diversity, equality and inclusion have been integrated into everyday life

reshaping, language, art, and social dynamics in the process, particularly since the Black Lives

Matter protests in 2020. Gender neutral language has been normalised, class consciousness has

risen in Gen-Z and the deconstruction of traditional binaries are indicative of a fundamental

reimagining of identity, who we are as people. Platforms like TikTok or YouTube have been used to

amplify marginalised narratives from racialised groups, transgender people, refugees and the

working classes, which were previously side-lined by mainstream media outlets. Our generational

defiance against historical erasure and a rigid, social hierarchy isn’t just ‘wokeness gone mad’, i

is fundamental to a digital counterculture which asserts that we are all equal people. It informs

how we communicate, organise and build a rebellion outside outdated frameworks.

Our generations response to mass consumerism has also been interesting to observe. In an age

of streaming websites and several different subscriptions, piracy is on the rise. Faced with th

fragmentation of content across multiple paywalls, many young people turned to torrenting, piracy

sites and account sharing as a form of resistance against corporate media. It is not solely for the

purpose of accessing entertainment for free; it is a clear rejection of the monopolisation of culture

by worsening services and immense companies such as Netflix, Disney and Amazon. Despit

crackdowns on password sharing, many in Gen Z are determined to bypass these barriers. There is always a dodgy pirate site to watch the latest movies on. Beyond digital media, this anti-

consumerist ethos extends to physical goods too. Gen-Z favours second-hand shopping on platforms such as Vinted, Facebook Marketplace or local charity shops as consciousness of the

effects of fast-fashion has grown. Platforms like Shein or Temu have come to symbolise the fas

consumption of material goods, and have been rejected by many within Gen Z. The digital piracy

of university textbooks can also be seen as a response against exploitative pricing models. This is

a quiet but widespread rebellion against consumerist capitalism that is deeply critical of corporate

overreach and is willing to challenge it.

These are but a few ways that generation Z is rebelling against the established norms of a world

that we have inherited. moreover, it is a proactive effort to redefine it. Memes, digital activism

rejection of exploited practices are enabling today's youth to craft a counterculture that is as

much about joy, laughter and absurdity as it is about social justice, economic equality and

environmental sustainability. The creativity and sometimes subtleness in the Gen-Z

countercultural movement, enabled by the Internet and social media platforms, are what make it

unique. They are what make it so easily accessible and digestible, key factors in a post-Truth

social media environment. The evolution of this counterculture is fascinating, especially as it is

taking a far more definable form as most of Gen-Z finally come of age. The resilience and glo

resonance of this generation’s counterculture suggests that it will impact the world far more than

we might think so far.