Why Gen Z Isn’t Apolitical — Just Tired

People love to say Gen Z does not care about politics. That we are disconnected. That we are too caught up in our phones or not informed enough to participate.

But the truth is, many of us are not checked out. We are just tired.

We are tired of being told to save the world while being left out of the decisions that shape it. We are tired of witnessing the same problems play out over and over again. And we are tired of seeing our voices questioned, ignored, or watered down.

🧠 We Pay Attention, Even If It Does Not Look Like It

Political engagement does not always look like rallies or press statements. Sometimes, it looks like reading five articles before bed or watching government breakdowns on TikTok. Sometimes, it looks like quiet frustration that builds up over time.

We are watching climate disasters unfold, reproductive rights get restricted, and debt pile up before we even finish high school. We are very aware. But awareness without power starts to feel like shouting into the wind.

📉 Burnout Shows Up in Apathy

It is not that Gen Z does not care. It is that caring all the time with no results wears people down.

Voting feels important, but also frustrating when elected leaders rarely follow through. Protesting feels empowering, until nothing changes. Learning about policies feels responsible, but often ends in hopelessness.

The system does not just feel broken. It feels impossible to fix. And that leaves many of us stuck between caring deeply and emotionally shutting down.

🔄 Politics Feels Like a Loop

We keep seeing the same cycle: violence, outrage, hashtags, promises, and then silence. Repeat.

For young people who have grown up in a constant stream of news, crisis, and conflict, this cycle is exhausting. We have questions. We have ideas. But we are not always convinced those ideas will matter.

Not because we are lazy, but because experience has made us cautious.

💭 Final Thoughts

Gen Z is not disconnected from politics. We are overexposed, overwhelmed, and still trying to hold on to hope. We are not giving up. We are just navigating a system that was not built with us in mind.

So the next time someone says young people are apolitical, remember this: we are not silent because we do not care. We are silent sometimes because we care too much, and we are trying to figure out how to keep going anyway.