Episode: 321

Episode Title: 3 Silent Questions Every Young Person is Asking

Do you see me? Do you hear me? Do I matter? Whether they realize it or not, Generation Z is always asking these questions. Let’s talk about it, coming up next on The Perna Syndicate.

Ep 321 show:

Hello and welcome to a new week on The Perna Syndicate! I’m your host, Mark Perna. If you follow my work, you know that I’ve nicknamed the younger generations “the Why (w-h-y) Generation” because this is the question they’re always asking. Both millennials and Gen Z are known for their inquisitive nature. 

They’re always asking the reason for what you’re telling them to do. Most of the time, they’re not doing this to be smart-alecks or insubordinate. They just want to understand the big picture—and maybe even improve it. 

But I’ve learned that the question “why?” isn’t the only question that they’re asking. At a fundamental level in every interaction, especially with authority figures, they’re trying to figure out how you view them. They’re silently asking: Do you see me? Do you hear me? Do I matter?

We live in a highly populated world. While we teach our young people that they’re unique, special, and important, of course they wonder if that’s really true amid the billions of other human beings on this planet. They want to know what you think about them. Your opinion of them has weight, even if they don’t realize it.

Do you see me? Do you hear me? Do I matter? We’re unconsciously answering those questions every day in how we interact with them. If their conclusion on any of these questions is “no,” you’ll have a very difficult time moving them forward to their full potential. Both in education and employment, young people want to be seen, heard, and valued. And they should. 

This week, we’ll be talking more about how to truly see, hear, and value the young people we interact with. Stay tuned and we’ll see you back here tomorrow on The Perna Syndicate.