«Young people are under a lot of psychological pressure»

Mr Hurrelmann, what characterises Generation Z of today's 12 to 25-year-olds?

We have a young generation that is growing up in a time of crisis and is politicising the crises we are experiencing. In my view, this is a deeply constructive generation. Fridays for Future was never just any kind of blind protest! This movement is not so much against something as for something. Today's young people are experiencing something like a permanent crisis; permanent, unexpected changes are almost the norm. They are children of crisis and they know it.

Today's young people know: Long-term life planning is neither possible nor sensible for them.

In other words, they know or sense that it is neither possible nor sensible for them to plan their own lives for a really long time. They have to constantly adapt to change. That's what makes them so political. It is a generation that thinks globally and also has its sights set on self-realisation.

Global thinking is what makes young people so political?

Also. But it is only possible for a generation to think politically if they don't have to worry about whether they will get an education or a job. Young people are growing up professionally and financially secure and can get an education and a job. At the same time, the general situation is very tense, as there has never been such a succession of crises in recent history. This tension is the impetus for many to become politically active.

Then the situation is probably comparable to the 1970s.

That's right, back then there was a comparatively strong political activism through the student movement, the so-called '68 generation. It was a rebellion against something, a revolt against parents and the authoritarian attitude of adults. After this rebellious period, we had a long period of job insecurity, which is why Generation Y, those born before 2000, were unsure whether they would be able to get a job and follow a career path.

In the 18th century, biological maturity was 17 years, now it is 12 years. Today, the adolescent phase is very long.

Youth unemployment was particularly high and everyone had to see where they could get by. Young people today can withstand the crises because the financial situation is not, or not yet, strained. Despite this relatively stable situation, the psychological strain is high.

Why are the career opportunities so good today?

This has a demographic component. The so-called baby boomers aged 55 plus are gradually retiring. Even if Switzerland is somewhat decoupled from the major European changes and fluctuations, the same applies here: you can roughly say that two workers are retiring, but only one is available to replace them. This increases the market opportunities for young people.

Does the tense situation of the ongoing crisis make it more difficult to find one's identity during puberty?

When it comes to puberty, social crises and upheavals play a secondary role. It is primarily about physical and emotional change. Historically, however, this phase has shifted further and further forward. For comparison: in the 18th century, biological maturity was around 17 years, now it is 12 years. At the same time, unlike in the past, the adolescent phase lasts a very long time. This means that much more time passes before the traditional milestones of adult life, such as entering the labour market and starting a family, than in previous eras.

What does the early onset of puberty mean for parents?

It means that mothers and fathers need to realise during their child's childhood that it will fly by. They should therefore take great care to lay a very good foundation for further development in the first ten years of life, i.e. to develop a solid, stable relationship with the child, as this is naturally quickly called into question during puberty.

How do parents manage this?

They should give the child the feeling and the knowledge: You are here in a solid and supportive community. And in addition to all the care we give you, we also have rules that you can contribute to, but they apply to all of us. I sometimes have the impression that mums and dads don't set enough boundaries. A clear structure creates stability and security. Rules of mutual respect and appreciation are essential. I'm talking here about the magic parenting triangle.

What does that mean?

It contains three important guidelines: recognising, stimulating and guiding. These are important building blocks that are at the centre of education in the first ten years. Recognising is the level of attachment and appreciation. Providing stimulation means stimulating the child to realise their own potential.

Guiding means creating a system of rules and making it clear that adolescents live in a social community, namely the family. This has become more important than ever before, as this «laying of the foundation stone» has to happen so early these days.

If you were the father of a nine-year-old child now, what would you pay particular attention to?

The child should be sure that I appreciate it for what it is; that I recognise it and also acknowledge what it cannot do. Nevertheless, the child should know that I have ideas about how it can develop further. They should also feel that I also have my own life, needs and wishes and that we therefore have to agree on certain things so that everyday life works well for the family.

Parents belong to a different generation, they have to fulfil their role as father and mother and should not become friends.

With such a secure foundation, the child can grow well into puberty, as this means separating from the parents in order to become independent. By the age of nine, the conditions must be created for a later detachment without losing the bond. It is then a bond on a new level. Most parents succeed in this, as I have seen in various studies. Most children say that they get on well with their parents.

Doesn't a friendly relationship between parents and child make it more difficult to detach?

Parents belong to a different generation, they have to fulfil their role as father and mother and should not become friends. That's what peers are for. Once again, the relationship should be characterised by the magical parenting triangle. It is important for parents to always maintain a role distance, to make it clear that they belong to a different generation. They need to set themselves apart - children respect this even if they are well integrated.

Parents have responsibility, authority, their own lives, their own idiosyncrasies, their own personality. A good combination of taking the child's needs into account and their own role and authority is essential. Some parents play down this authority, speak the same language, wear the same clothes, think everything is great, which tends to irritate children and deprives young people of the freedom to be different.

Current international youth studies show that personal fears are declining and young people are relating more than ever to other people and the environment.

I'm sceptical about that. Let's take another look at puberty: adolescents have to re-position themselves and redefine themselves over a longer period of time. The body and psyche change, the perception of the environment becomes more conscious, intellectual and moral judgement sets in, the ability to reflect develops. Young people begin to probe, recording everything that happens around them like seismographs. Some perceive almost too much.

Is the earth still worth living on when today's young people are 50? A realistic question that is quite a challenge for some.

Unlike in the past, it is more difficult to grow into puberty at such a highly sensitive time. Is the earth still worth living on when these young people are 50? That's a realistic question! Depending on your disposition and sensitivity, it can be quite a challenge. Then there was the coronavirus crisis, which suspended the normal rhythm for two years. Then there was the war in Europe and inflation worries.

The crises we have now are going too far for many people. I see that in the studies. 10 to 15 per cent of a cohort can't cope well with all the stresses and strains of puberty. Around a third of 12 to 25-year-olds are under enormous psychological pressure and have difficulties finding their own identity. The group of people who need support and help has increased.

And how does the other group manage to cope better with the situation?

There are young people who have managed to grow despite the external restrictions and all the challenges, even during the coronavirus crisis. One component of this is the genetic disposition and the temperament to look at the world with optimism, another is to face life as an open-minded person with great self-confidence. With the attitude: I can do it, I won't let it get to me too much, I will master the challenge, I am flexible. OK, I have to stay at home, I can't see my friends, but I keep in touch with them digitally.

They start their working life and say: I won't let my job destroy me.

I found those young people interesting who, for example, rearranged their rooms during this time. They wanted to signal and prove to themselves that they are not paralysed, not blocked. They are doing something within their own four walls that is still possible. Rearranging the children's room is a tremendous psychological coping strategy! These are children of parents who give them a certain stability, who support them, a good foundation has been laid. These children have the feeling that nothing can happen to them, that their parents would also stand up for them if necessary.

According to the Credit Suisse Youth Barometer 2022, young people in Switzerland are concerned about the future of old-age provision, environmental protection and energy supply.

The security of the pension system has actually become very important to Generation Z. Young people feel that the opportunity to secure their own lives through work has shifted. They no longer earn as much as their parents or grandparents in comparable professions, who were able to afford a property with a normal employment relationship - even without inheritance.

Salaries are proportionately lower than in previous generations. This means that although the profession provides a certain degree of security, in economic terms there will be no great prosperity with a relaxed pension scheme.

Is it to do with the fact that for many young people, the importance of education and work is receding in favour of more free time?

Young people in their 20s who have experienced all the crises have shifted their standards. They know how important it is to have a protected private life and how unpredictable it is, how quickly it can be lost! This is a lesson learnt from the coronavirus crisis plus war experience plus the climate crisis. It is questionable for them how life will continue - despite a good school education with a school-leaving certificate, despite good professional qualifications.

Girls are more successful at school and throughout their education than boys.

They start their working life and say: I won't let my job ruin me, I know how jeopardised my private life is. They also see this in their parents, who have sacrificed themselves for their job, and what has it brought them? You have to understand that, especially when entrepreneurs say: Where is the motivation to work among young people? They don't want to work overtime, they only want to work four days a week, they value their private life more than their professional life? That didn't exist among the older generation, the over 50s. The situation has shifted in this respect.

In which direction is Generation Alpha, the generation born since 2010, heading?

I am cautious about making predictions, although there are already studies on this. The formative period of puberty is still to come, when the mentality that will develop is decided. What we can say is that the crisis constellation may persist, but that this generation is to some extent used to it and knows how to deal with it. I assume that this high level of stress among young people will slowly decrease again - unless something else dramatic happens.

We haven't talked about the digital component yet.

Yes, it is of great importance, it permeates all areas of life. The new Alpha generation is even more digital and takes it for granted, they can't imagine anything else, they handle it all intuitively. It therefore remains a challenge for parents in the first ten years to ensure good media skills.

You can keep your child away from smartphones and digital media for as long as you can, but if the child does not learn to use them consciously at some point, it will be difficult. Parents need to set an example here, give instructions and stick to them themselves.

Back to Generation Z. So far, it has been observed that girls have been more active in the political movement than boys. Are there differences between the sexes here?

Yes, that has been the case for many years. Girls are more successful at school and throughout their education than boys, and are ahead in terms of performance in degree programmes. The medical profession, for example, is becoming a female profession, the highest-ranking profession we have is increasingly being carried out by female doctors. I believe this is because young women have adopted a very open gender role, supported by emancipation.

There are still the traditional components of children, cooking, church, community plus career, that's the remarkable thing about it. Such a life is also very strenuous, extremely demanding. Young men are still lagging behind. But fortunately, the male role model is now also moving away from being the breadwinner of the family. Generally speaking, this is a generation that thinks outside the box and wants to realise its own life model with a view to self-realisation, especially in the private sphere.