For quite some time now, I have been studying different social phenomena, particularly generational behaviors that we observe around us. Why do children behave differently today? Why do some younger people seem to struggle with accountability at work? Why do some behaviors appear to be shifting away from the values we have traditionally known, including those we consider universal?

From studies, intensive readings, and guided observations, I have arrived at some theories of my own:

1. Displacement of Parental Leadership. When the older generation, particularly parents, was introduced to technology, they, too, had to adjust to something novel. They became occupied with learning it, using it, and eventually, for some, becoming captivated by it. Social media offered possibilities that were unfamiliar to the generation they grew up in. They could present themselves, become the main characters of their own vlogs, and express their opinions freely. Some even discovered through these platforms ways of addressing needs and desires that had long remained unmet.

This experience is a sharp contrast to the generation many of them grew up in, where privacy was guarded, movements were closely observed, and adults exercised greater control over behavior. The newfound freedom can understandably be exhilarating. Yet perhaps the greater question is what happens when that excitement begins to compete with the quieter responsibilities of parenthood. In becoming absorbed in the digital world, some parents may, without intending to, give less sustained attention to their fundamental responsibility of nurturing the well-being, development, and growth of their children.

Research on parental technoference, or the disruption of parent-child interaction by technology, indicates that excessive parental engagement with digital devices is associated with reduced parent-child interaction and, in some studies, problematic media use among children (Zhang et al., 2025).

2. Addiction to Entertainment. One of the defining features of social media is its capacity to provide instant gratification. Algorithms continuously learn a user's preferences and deliver content that aligns with those interests, creating a highly personalized stream of entertainment. For young people who have grown up in this environment, constant stimulation and immediate rewards can gradually become familiar. Some even become uneasy when there is a power interruption or poor internet connectivity. Perhaps, more than being addicted to entertainment, we are becoming increasingly accustomed to having it readily available.

Work, however, is not always entertaining. This is where the tension begins. For some, work may increasingly be viewed not as something that requires patience, discipline, and perseverance, but simply as a means to an end, something that must be completed so they can return to what they find pleasurable. This may partly explain why accountability, commitment, and dedication can sometimes appear diminished. When the mind becomes accustomed to immediate rewards, sustained effort and delayed gratification may require a different kind of discipline.

Interestingly, this phenomenon is not confined to the young. Some adults are also gradually adapting to the same pattern, becoming increasingly dissatisfied with work while seeking activities that provide immediate enjoyment. Perhaps, without realizing it, some of us are also being shaped by a culture that constantly asks, “What entertains me?” rather than “What deserves my commitment?”

Recent research is consistent with this observation, showing that problematic social media use is associated with difficulties in self-regulation and self-control (Fernández-Castilla et al., 2024). This does not mean that social media makes people incapable of discipline or commitment. Rather, it invites us to reflect on how repeated exposure to immediate rewards may influence the way we manage attention, impulses, and effort.

Perhaps I am thinking too much. In fact, I have pages of scribbled hypotheses and theories that still need to be studied more intensively, particularly about what is happening within people and around us. But perhaps that is precisely where reflection should begin. We cannot simply allow things to happen without trying to understand them. We need to examine what is unfolding, not merely to judge others, but to understand ourselves as well, because we are all participants in the changes we are observing.

Maybe the greatest danger is not that society is changing, but that we change with it without pausing to understand what is being lost, what is being formed, and what kind of people we are quietly becoming.