Is it Gen Alpha vs. The World?

Written by: Faith Soliven

My 9-year-old brother loves the state of Ohio. 

Not because he’s ever been there, or that he knows anything about it. But, he’s grown a liking to the state from internet memes and talks with his friends. Whenever I use the word, he looks at me with wide eyes and a smile, like I unlocked a new level of sisterhood understanding. 

Chat, what’s happening? 

I'm a Gen Z sister, and every day I see how many internet memes or how much “brain rot” overlap I have with my Gen Alpha brother. It is well-known that Gen Z is enamored with technology. (Add a fact about this). However, it is not as well-known that these Gen Alpha kids, who are born from 2010-2024 and are currently 23% of our global population, are  materially endowed and the most tech-savvy. While we’re both “iPad kids” in different ways; I like to watch a video or show while eating and he’s always on Fortnite or YouTube.,, I never really used a device until I was 11. On the other hand, my brother began kindergarten in 2020 on an iPad because of the pandemic. Possibly, his brain was primed for technology at such a young age to not only be able to process all the information online, but also become a key tool that shaped his formative years. It seems this generation, born into modern technology, is learning and picking up things at a fascinating rate. But I wonder, is this actually making them smarter? Or, if this road of thinking is much different from previous generations and potentially more worrying.

Inside the Minds of iPad Kids

It's fascinating to see how Gen Alpha can learn and distinguish their own sense of humor. Some more questionable than others, there’s no doubt that the exposure to technology takes a toll on their brains. 

For one, more than half of Gen Alpha own iPads, 8-10 year olds are spending around 4 hours a day on social media, and the generation as a whole are the most “digitally native” generation so far. I wonder, what else do these young kids sacrifice with astonishing access to devices and online content? According to Business Insider, here’s a few:

• Being able to focus on multiple screens might allow for the ability to scan information, but many children struggle with a short attention span.

• Having parents post and broadcast their children’s life on social media can draw attention to personal insecurities and comparison. This is the same for children who post themselves on the internet. 

• While social media, video games, and other digital platforms have become places of connection, they aren’t an optimal way to learn how to navigate conflicts and the nuances of human interaction. 

There’s no doubt that technology can become a harmful vessel for Gen Alpha.

 But, the content itself is quite something. What’s cooking in these kids’ minds?

According o the Newport Institute, “brain rot” is “a state of mental fogginess and cognitive decline that results from excessive screen engagement.” Or, addictive content that has no substance. Afterwards, you don’t feel too great either. Your brain basically feels like it's rotting. The scary thing is, it can be anything. 

Especially since the release of smartphones and iPads, brain rot has also been around since Gen Z childhood. I remember growing up with Vine shorts, hours of random Cartoon Network shows like Annoying Orange and Regular Show and various Minecraft gameplay videos. For the most part, there wasn't any crazy substance, but it was funny, entertaining, and just easy to consume on a surface level. However, I’d feel fatigued and just mentally drained after consuming excessive brain rot at only the age of 13. Today, many kids are given a device by the time they’re able to talk, often to make them busy or stay quiet. Some are exposed to one even earlier. 

Many Gen Alpha are exposed to brain rot through YouTube, YouTube Shorts, and other forms of social media and video games. There’s so much random and inappropriate content that there is not enough space for here. And the comment sections? They’re a breeding ground for brain rot applications, trolls, and a plethora of inside jokes. As a Gen Zer, some are funny. Others, I want to report, especially the “here me out” comments for something totally weird. I will not hear you out about simping for an inanimate object! People need to get out more. Funnily enough, some brain rot makes me feel clever after the gears turn to figure out the nuances of a joke. But again, there’s not really substance. Even from a young age, Gen Alpha’s minds are getting hardwired to process this kind of thinking. 

However, just because younger kids are getting clever, it doesn’t mean they’re developing the skills they need to grow at a formative age. 

Childhood

What's different about playing imaginary games outside and Fortnite on the Nintendo Switch? For one, the methods and capacity for thinking, creativity, and relationship-building change. When kids are left to their own devices (not tech-related!), they can engage themselves with whatever is around them and imagine worlds where gauging emotions, risks, and consequences are led by critical thinking. While video games may test a child’s thinking, using technology excessively during the first eight formative years of life poses a risk of losing out on the skills gained from unstructured play. 

According to the American Psychological Association, “unstructured play” is “Play that isn’t organized by adults helps kids build resilience, flex their creative muscles, and engage organically with their peers.” Additionally, getting outside and staying active is physically a formative way to build healthier bodies, reduce stress and anxiety, and promote energy. It also encourages opportunities for kids to meet their peers, not online, but also in person. 

I notice that when my brother is on the screen for too long, he’s more irritable and unwilling to step away and go outside. Of course, I try to make him go anyway, but it’s a component that affects behavioral actions as well. But recently, I got to see it in a good way. When we went on a weekend trip to Hilo, we didn’t give my brother any tech to watch all weekend for more than an hour. I got to talk with him more and see how his energy was increasingly positive and relaxed. He wasn’t overstimulated through a screen but naturally engaged with the environment around him. We took pictures on my point-and-shoot camera, laughed and slept on the road trip to Naalehu, and walked around the Volcano National Park. Afterwards, my brother would share his thoughts and ask questions like “Why is there steam coming from the ground?” 

At least in my experience, children’s behavior can change when we immerse them in the world away from their screens and let them make sense of it themselves. Gen Alpha is no different as kids who were born into a modern digital age. Knowing what’s out there on the internet, it’s worth it to know what your Gen Alpha kid is consuming. Or, delaying the age a child consumes digital media. Either way, adding meaningful content, unstructured play, and less time from devices can help Gen Alpha gain the interpersonal and physical skills they might have lost, especially during the pandemic. 

Away from the screen, maybe we’ll get my brother to actually visit Ohio and see if he likes it.