Gen Z in the West and Serbia seeks security and respect, expecting institutions – and not politicians – to deliver. Using likes, dislikes and cancel culture, they push for change and reject opponents
The Zoomers are the generation born between 1997 and 2012. They are now university and high school students all around the world. They are also known as the Generation Z or Gen Z. This generation has been analysed by sociologists and the results from Westen societies suggest that Gen Z supports diversity and is very inclusive. Its members also have a greater need to succeed and closer peer bonds than the generation of their parents. It is a digital generation attached to smart phones. It is usually mentioned that the Zoomers even go to the toilet with their mobile phones. They are more sensitive than any previous Western generation when it comes to political correctness and have an aversion to any form of discrimination. They are also very interested in climate change. Unsurprisingly, a generation with these values must collide with strong leaders who demonstrate disrespect towards socially and culturally vulnerable groups.
How does this translate to the Zoomers and ongoing student protests in Serbia? A survey conducted in November 2024 by zoomer.rs demonstrated that Serbia’s Zoomers showed that they have very similar values as their peers in the West. Almost 60% of survey respondents have participated in protests in Serbia, while 78% said they didn’t feel secure in Serbia. They massively reject a strong leader and prefer strong institutions and the rule of law.
Gen Z distrusts political parties and insists that institutions, and not politicians, function independently, making direct talks with Serbia’s leaders futile from the outset
The massive protests that spread across Serbia in December 2024 and January 2025 impacted the Zoomers in particular. As university students and high school pupils, they found themselves among the most active protestors. One of the most important differences with Gen Z compared to older generations is their very low level of trust in political parties. Their main point of contention with the authorities in Serbia is that they expect institutions to function and not to be under the control of politicians. In this sense, the efforts of the Serbian President and former Prime Minister to have direct negotiations with them were meaningless from the outset.
The message of Gen Z, both in the West and in Serbia, is that they want to feel secure and respected. They expect institutions, and not politicians, to make them secure as they pursue their goals. Gen Z has its own tools – its likes, dislikes and cancels – and it endeavours to use them to change the world. Those who oppose their core values may discover that Gen Z hasn’t only showered them with dislikes, but has also cancelled them.
