Mohan Bhagwat, chief of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), said Generation Z is imitative and emotional and does not think with a calm mind [1, 2].
These comments highlight a growing tension between traditionalist ideological frameworks and the digital-native behaviors of India's youth. By criticizing the cognitive habits of Gen Z, the RSS chief suggests a perceived decline in reasoned deliberation among the younger population.
Bhagwat described the current generation as adaptable but overly influenced by digital platforms [1, 2]. He said that today's youth are imitative and emotional and do not think with a calm mind [1]. This lack of composure, according to the RSS chief, is a byproduct of the modern environment where peer pressure, and rapidly changing trends dominate social interaction [1, 2].
He said that social media and the legacy of movements such as the Women's Liberation Movement are shaping youth attitudes [3]. These factors, he said, are reducing the ability of young people to engage in calm, reasoned thinking [3].
Bhagwat's assessment frames Gen Z as a group that is highly flexible in its adaptation to new tools but vulnerable to the volatile nature of online discourse [1, 2]. The critique suggests that the speed of digital information replaces the slow process of reflection, a core tenet of the RSS's traditional approach to discipline and thought.
“Gen Z is emotional, adaptable but doesn't think calmly.”
This critique reflects a broader cultural clash between the RSS's emphasis on structured, disciplined thought and the fluid, decentralized nature of Gen Z's digital identity. By linking the Women's Liberation Movement and social media to a perceived lack of mental calm, Bhagwat is positioning traditionalist values as a necessary corrective to the perceived instability of modern globalism and digital connectivity.
