Iran's intra-generational divide is widening
Gen-Z is turning their backs on Iranian culture.
As the Islamic Republic navigates a labyrinth of economic sanctions and political turbulence, an equally formidable challenge is brewing within its homes. Iran faces a profound generational divide threatening to upend its social fabric and challenge its traditional power structures. If left unaddressed, this chasm could prove more destabilising than any external pressure.
Recent research by Dr Mansour Saei, a prominent Iranian communication scholar, unveils a society where parents and children increasingly inhabit parallel universes. The generation born between 1995 and 2010, dubbed Gen Z, is forging an identity that not only diverges from but often collides with the values and expectations of their elders.
The statistics are sobering. Daily communication between family members has nose-driven from two hours to a mere 20 minutes over two decades. This breakdown in dialogue is not merely a familial issue; it's symptomatic of a society-wide communication crisis. While their parents cling to traditional notions of authority and long-term planning, Gen Z Iranians are digital natives who prioritise personal fulfilment and navigate an eternal present facilitated by technology.
This 'digital divide' transcends mere technological proficiency; it represents a seismic shift in worldview. Gen Z's playground is the internet, their global community, and their ambitions unrestrained by national borders. Meanwhile, older generations grapple with 'digital ageing', increasingly marginalised in a rapidly evolving landscape. The concept of 'digital Darwinism' – adapt or perish – has never been more apt.
The Iranian government, ever vigilant in maintaining societal control, has responded by attempting to fill the void left by diminishing parental authority. Yet its efforts to enforce social norms and shape young minds seem woefully inadequate against the internet's borderless influence. In a perverse role reversal, the state attempts to parent its youth while actual parents buckle under economic pressures traditionally managed by the government.
This paradox – the state playing parent and families bearing the brunt of economic responsibilities – creates a pressure cooker of frustration and misunderstanding. Young Iranians caught between anachronistic social expectations and the allure of a globalised digital culture, find themselves alienated from both family and state.
The implications for Iran's future are profound and multifaceted. The traditional Iranian family, once a bastion of social stability, is evolving into what Dr Saei terms a 'civil family'. Yet this transition is incomplete, leaving many families in a problematic limbo between traditional authority and modern egalitarianism. This half-formed familial structure mirrors Iran's broader societal struggles with modernity.
Moreover, the generational gap extends beyond the family unit. In the political sphere, young Iranians find themselves systematically excluded from decision-making processes. The absence of youth representation in high-level committees and governmental bodies further widens the chasm between the state and its young populace.
The economic dimension of this crisis cannot be overstated. As Iran's economy struggles under the weight of sanctions and mismanagement, it's the younger generation that bears the brunt. High unemployment rates and limited opportunities fuel a sense of hopelessness, driving many to seek futures abroad. This brain drain represents a critical loss of human capital that Iran can ill afford. Recent data suggests the teens of today’s Iran are not even waiting for their university years and are seeking ways out before they finish high school, in some instances.
To bridge this chasm, Iran needs more than superficial reforms or increased internet restrictions. It requires a fundamental rethinking of intergenerational relationships, both within families and between citizens and state. Promoting genuine dialogue, fostering digital literacy among older Iranians, and creating economic opportunities that align with young people's aspirations are crucial first steps. These tasks would be daunting for a Western government let alone one which has a history of creating clunky interfaces on its internal intraweb.
The research suggests several potential pathways forward. Developing a national policy for intergenerational communication could provide a framework for systematically addressing these issues. Education systems must be overhauled to prepare young Iranians for a digital future while preserving cultural values—existing systems like the historical “concur”, now more than several decades old, are seen as outdated examination systems designed for a pre-digital age. Most critically, the government must create spaces for young voices in policy-making, harnessing their innovation and energy rather than stifling it.
A generation gap of this magnitude threatens not just social cohesion but the very foundations of the Islamic Republic's power. As foreign journalists and academics have said, the changing nature of the intergenerational systems could cause further complications down the line in the next decade for the nearly fifty year old system.
Iran's leadership would do well to heed these warning signs and engage meaningfully with its youth. Failure to do so may result in a generational time bomb that, when it explodes, could reshape the country in ways the current establishment can scarcely imagine.