AT a recent parent-teacher meeting at an elite school, a parent complained of her son’s poor performance in Urdu. The teacher told her not to worry, as all his classmates were facing problems in Urdu. This is the dilemma of our new generation, the Gen Z-ers, born between the mid-1990s and the late 2010s. In fact, Gen Z-ers are the first true digital natives, with technology seamlessly integrated into their lives, unlike previous generations, who are digital immigrants. Among their two billion worldwide, Pakistan is home to seven million — the fifth-largest Gen Z cohort after China, India, Indonesia and Nigeria.

American sociologist George Ritzer explains the dilemma of the new generation in The McDonaldisation of Society. ‘McDonaldisation’ refers to the pervasive expansion of the principles of the fast-food chain: speed, convenience and standardisation for diverse societies and geographies. The ensuing cultural globalisation has the advantage of being democratic in nature, but the associated homogenisation threatens diversity.

Previous generations learnt through auditory delivery and manual practices; Gen Z-ers learn digitally and visually. Not surprisingly, many skills are becoming redundant such as calligraphy, classical........

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