We often hear about the anger of young people with a critical undertone. It is portrayed as a blind, almost hormonal reaction. A phase of adolescent rebellion that will eventually pass. Yet, if we look beneath the surface and analyze the social realities, we realize there is something deeper at play. The anger of the new generation is not irrational; it is the only logical response to a daily reality that appears absurd and often profoundly unjust within an environment of prolonged institutional crisis.
What then fuels the rage of the new generation?
Economic impasse: Today’s young people are perhaps the first generation to know, with mathematical certainty, that their standard of living will be worse than that of their parents. In Cyprus, young people face an unprecedented reality: wages remain stagnant, while the cost of living and rents have skyrocketed. The realization that, despite their education and hard work, they cannot even secure the basics, breeds deep disillusionment.
State repression and police misconduct: Instead of a source of security, young people often experience the police as an instrument of intimidation. Police violence on the streets, at universities, and during protests, compounded by a complete lack of accountability among security forces, transforms state authority into an enemy in the eyes of the youth.
Institutional injustice and cover-ups: For young people, the most damaging aspect is the sense that they live in a state defined by impunity. When they witness successive corruption scandals being downplayed, cronyism prevailing over meritocracy, and justice either delayed or never served at all, anger becomes the only logical response. For the new generation, this is not merely a case of poor management; it is the hallmark of a system that protects the powerful few while leaving everyone else vulnerable.
Anger is not necessarily destructive; it has two sides. On one hand, it can be creative, acting as a driving force that translates into advocacy, activism, art and a demand for transparency and meritocracy. On the other hand, it can be internalized, when young people feel that nothing ever changes, this anger morphs into resignation, political disengagement, anxiety or the decision to leave the country.
Instead of criticizing the anger of the youth, we must learn to listen to it. This is not a matter of problematic behavior, but rather a cry for justice, equality before the law, and a future. A society that chooses to perpetuate corruption and ignore the outrage of its young people is simply mortgaging its own tomorrow.
How can the anger of the youth be transformed into meaningful social change, rather than resignation?
