It’s a fact—young people today have a really tough time taking criticism. Things have genuinely changed and we’re going to look at some pretty interesting reasons why. We’re not here to blame anyone, though; we’re just trying to figure out what might be going on with the younger generation with handling a bit of tough love.
Featured Image Credit: Pexels.
Instant Gratification Culture
These days, everything comes at us fast and young people can talk to friends or even shop with a single click. Since things are so fast, this sets an expectation that everything, including feedback, should be immediate and positive. Young people just can’t take it. To them, any criticism feels like a slap in the face because they’re just not used to hearing that they might need to improve & wait for things.
Fewer Real-World Experiences
Similarly, living in the digital age has made kids spend more time online and less time talking face-to-face. They’re not exposed to real-world social settings as much, so criticism feels extra intense and personal. As such, young people struggle to understand what to do when they face any kind of feedback they can’t retaliate to from behind a keyboard.
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Protective Parenting Styles
Many parents really hover over their kids and try to protect them from every little scrape or negative experience. Known as “helicopter parenting,” it’s an approach that means some kids don’t have to deal with much criticism until they’re out in the real world. Suddenly, when they do face it, it’s a shock to the system. They haven’t built up the resilience that comes from dealing with setbacks early on, so they’re not prepared for it.
Change in Educational Approaches
Schools these days focus on cheering kids on, which is great for self-esteem but maybe not so great for dealing with criticism. When students attend college or start a job where feedback is more blunt, it’s a tough transition. They’re not used to hearing they need to make changes or improvements. They’re used to just getting a participation trophy!
Increased Focus on Individualism
We often encourage people to express themselves and love their uniqueness. On the one hand, it’s fantastic. But on the other, such a strong focus on individuality can make criticism feel like an attack on your identity. Young people don’t see it as feedback on their behavior or performance—instead, they take it way too personally.
Prevalence of Mental Health Awareness
There’s a lot more focus on mental health today and many people, especially the younger ones, are more sensitive to words. They see criticism as harmful to their mental health rather than as constructive feedback meant to help them grow. We should be using constructive criticism to push us forward.
Economic Pressures
Today’s economy is hardly forgiving. Young people worry about job security and student loans, so any form of criticism feels like it could jeopardize their careers or financial stability — what little they have of it. For some youngsters, feedback feels like their future is on the line. They’re not ready to deal with that.
Higher Expectations of Fairness
It’s no secret that many younger generations care a lot about fairness and equality. Unfortunately, such an attitude means that any feedback that seems unfair or biased can be particularly upsetting for young people. If it feels unjust, they’ll dismiss the criticism immediately. Their focus is on potential beliefs rather than the actual feedback.
Overload of Choice
Today’s generation has a ton of options for just about everything—where to eat, what to watch & even which app to use for taking notes. Having so many choices makes any type of feedback about their decisions feel overwhelming. After all, once they’ve finally made a choice, the last thing they want to hear is that it’s the wrong one.
Social Media Echo Chambers
Social media algorithms are designed to show us more of what we like and they usually filter out opposing views. Eventually, young people are stuck in an echo chamber, being exposed to opinions and ideas that reinforce their own. When they step outside these bubbles, they feel attacked. They’re not used to people challenging their ideas.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
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