Gen Z is often called the most politically attuned generation. Thanks to social media, global events show up right in our feeds every single day. We see everything, from climate change to international conflicts, often without even trying — awareness just finds us. But while this information carousel has helped us stay informed and engaged, it’s also created something harder to spot: we’re emotionally exhausted.
A worrying negative of digital connectivity is that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to disconnect. A few minutes on social media can quickly turn into hours of consuming distressing content, from breaking news to first-hand accounts of suffering. According to the American Psychological Association, repeated exposure to negative news can increase stress and anxiety, particularly among young people. And while ‘news-related stress’ is not, strictly speaking, a psychological disorder, there has been a spike in people seeking the help of therapists as a result of news saturation. This raises an important question: what happens when awareness becomes overwhelming?
Empathy and Moral Disengagement
For many young people, global crises no longer feel distant. Through platforms like TikTok and Instagram, conflicts such as those in Palestine are shared in real time, often by those directly affected. This creates a powerful sense of empathy and connection, making it harder to ignore what is happening.
However, constant exposure to this kind of content can also become overwhelming, especially when there are limited ways to offer direct help. In a TikTok video discussing this tension, creator *@therapyjeff argued that while it is uncomfortable, it is necessary to sit with these feelings rather than avoid them, since that leads to what psychologists describe as ‘moral disengagement’ — where individuals detach from suffering to protect themselves from the emotional weight. Over time, this detachment can make inaction feel easier to justify.
This highlights a difficult reality for Gen Z: the challenge is not just avoiding burnout but also avoiding the loss of empathy that can come from looking away entirely.
We also see this tension play out in how people respond online. Viral videos of protests, war footage, or humanitarian crises often circulate rapidly, gaining millions of views and comments of support. Yet within days, they are replaced by new content, new trends, and new emergencies. This fast-moving cycle can make it difficult to process anything deeply, leaving many young people feeling emotionally overloaded and strangely detached.
This brings us to a related issue. Many misunderstand Gen Z’s so-called ‘apathy.’ It is not that young people do not care; in many cases, they care deeply. But the constant exposure to suffering without space to process can lead to fatigue, which eventually results in disengagement. This disengagement is not exactly a conscious choice, but a form of self-protection.
Social media has intensified this tension. While it has made activism more accessible, it has also created pressure — a sense that stepping back, even briefly, is a failure. Disillusionment is another concern. A 2019 YouGov survey found that many young people feel their voices have little real impact on political decisions, which can deepen frustration. Nearly 40 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds said their vote didn’t make a difference in the general election, a sentiment that may partly explain the low youth voter turnout in subsequent elections. Evidently, when engagement is combined with constant exposure, pressure and disappointment, it can become both overwhelming and ineffective.
Even everyday digital activism suffers from this outcome. Sharing posts, reposting profiles, or commenting on global issues can feel necessary but also performative when driven by guilt rather than genuine understanding. This creates a loop where people feel they must always respond, even whilst emotionally exhausted and lacking conviction.
Staying Engaged Without Burning Out
You might be thinking that the best course is to disengage entirely, but that would be a mistake. The answer is not to care less, but to care more intentionally. Staying informed and emotionally connected is important because it prevents moral disengagement and keeps empathy alive. But this engagement must also be sustainable. This essentially means allowing space to process emotions, rather than constantly consuming information without reflection.
It also means redefining what meaningful action looks like. Engagement does not have to be constant or public to be valid. Taking the time to understand an issue deeply, supporting causes in practical ways, or having conversations within communities can be just as important as visible online activism.
Ultimately, Gen Z’s challenge is not a lack of care, but managing the weight of it. Without balance, awareness can quickly turn into exhaustion, but without awareness, there is a risk of moral apathy, emotional ignorance and critical indifference.
Gen Z does not need to withdraw from politics. Instead, they need to find ways to stay present without becoming overwhelmed — to sit with discomfort without being consumed by it. This is because engagement is not about constant reaction, but about sustained, thoughtful involvement.
In a world that always demands our attention, learning how to care without burning out may be one of the most important political acts of all.
* To our readers: While we may spotlight influencers where appropriate, we do not encourage or promote their content. Mental health advice should never be sought via social media but always through a qualified professional who will carefully weigh individual circumstances before committing to a course of treatment options.
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