From Screens to Streets: Reassessing Twenge’s iGen through Morocco’s Gen Z212 Movement

Abstract

In her 2017 book iGen, Jean Twenge portrays the post-1995 generation as ‘super-connected,’ ‘less rebellious,’ ‘less happy,’ ‘irreligious,’ and politically skeptical, with mental distress and social disconnection that leave them ‘completely unprepared for adulthood.’ Drawing on Twenge’s findings, this article investigates how Morocco’s Gen Z212 movement uses digital platforms to advocate for political reform and improved social services. By applying Twenge’s framework to Morocco, the article demonstrates that the generational traits often viewed as signs of passivity and disengagement in the U.S. can, in fact, become drivers of civic engagement when grounded in collective action and local culture. The discussion points out how growing up with technology, ethical reasoning, and getting involved in communal issues all work together, suggesting that digital immersion can both facilitate and impede youth capacity for action, depending on the situation. The article stresses the need to rethink assumptions about iGen’s detachment across different global settings and calls for more research on the conditions under which Gen Z becomes more resilient, responsible, and engaged in community life.