Independence Day 2023: “Freedom is to be able to live life on our own terms,” says Gen Z

In a world that seems to simultaneously embrace and exploit the concept of freedom, Gen Z grapples with its complexities. Aashna Dhiman, a 23-year-old cinematographer from Mumbai, articulates the intricate dilemma: "Freedom, as an idea or a means of expression, has never been more confusing and misleading than today." She underscores the desire for a world accepting of differences, yet acknowledges how freedom can be weaponized to spread discord and hatred.
"We want everyone to believe that we have freedom of choice and live in a world which is more accepting and accommodating of all differences. However, the more we see people misusing ‘freedom' to create unrest, fear and hate towards other people that are not like them or don't hold perceptions similar to theirs, we understand how futile this concept really is." For Dhiman, freedom is to be able to express herself freely, be who she is, and express what she stands for without fearing if that will put her life and security at risk.

77 years since India's liberation from colonial rule, Gen Z dominates the nation's demographic landscape, injecting it with vibrant energy. This generation faces mounting pressures - a cutthroat job market, escalating health concerns, rapid technological evolution, and the rise of artificial intelligence. Nevertheless, they are emerging as transformative forces. Nidhi Borana, a counselling psychologist and career advisor, observes, "Gen Z is transforming the world in unprecedented ways." This generation exhibits heightened awareness of societal issues, fearlessly voicing their opinions, and embracing challenges.
On the eve of Independence Day, we engaged with a few Gen Z individuals to decipher their interpretations of freedom and how their generation exercises the right of being free in their life.

Jyotsna Datta, a 22-year-old assistant editor at Youth Incorporated, shares her perspective: "Freedom to me means being able to act on my own decisions. True freedom is when I can wholeheartedly pursue my goals without external hindrances. Whether that's somewhere that I want to go, something I want to do, or something I want to wear. In fact, freedom from myself is also important sometimes. What I mean by this is that I often let my own negative thoughts get to me and don't do certain things for myself."

Soham Bhangale, a 21-year-old junior associate at MNA Capital Advisors LLP, echoes this sentiment: "Freedom is the power to do what I want without worry. I feel most free when I explore Mumbai's streets with a sheer interest to explore and experience new things without worrying about anything at all."
For Surabhi Arora, a 22-year-old law student at Jindal Law School, freedom is the power to make choices without fear.

Being independent for Gen Z is paramount
Freedom is intrinsically linked to independence. The capacity to make choices is magnified by an independent life. Dhiman emphasises its significance: "Being independent is crucial for me. It not only shapes my life but also improves the lives of those around me."

Bhangale underlines financial independence's importance: "If I am financially independent, I am no longer anyone's burden. Financial independence helps me take charge of my life completely. It gives me the power to spend money on things or causes that I want to. I wouldn't be able to do so if the money wasn't my own."
Jyotsna Datta elucidates, "Independence is liberating, making us self-sufficient. One should always strive towards this feeling of independence because that's how we start living in the real world."

How Gen Z exercise freedom in some key aspects of their life
In various aspects of their lives, Gen Z exercises freedom with unwavering commitment. Borana commends their courage in challenging long-standing norms. This generation defies convention, advocating for gender equality, body positivity, mental health awareness, unconventional careers, and progressive dating.

Mental health and Self-care
A growing number of Gen Z are open to seeking help when needed. They are free to make that choice because educational institutions have in-house counsellors who help the young navigate their way out from an issue or at least guide them the right way. According to Borana, mental healthcare has become more accessible to Gen Z. Besides having a counsellor in educational institutes, having access to social media has gone a long way in raising awareness about the relevance of mental health among Gen Z and also reducing the stigma around it.
Bhangale speaks about the lack of awareness of mental health among older generations and how that has changed over the years. He says, "Gen Z are increasingly being supportive of people dealing with mental health issues. Earlier generations would power through everything life threw at them, accepting things as they were and mental well-being wasn't even considered to be a serious issue. Now, mental health is being recognised as important to a person's overall well-being".
Datta adds, "I have seen people talk about mental health like physical health. Going to therapy is not something that people have to hide anymore. People are able to be open about how they're feeling. I think that opening up is important because it not just helps us, but in some ways, helps others too".

Gender identity
About how her generation navigates gender identity, Dhiman asserts, "Thanks to the tools of expression we have today like social media and personal blogs, we are more aware of people's struggles and their expressions. As a 23-year-old, I have friends who are proudly living their lives as gay, bi-sexuals and gender-fluid people and I cannot imagine judging them for something so natural and human. I believe that our generation has more empathy towards diverse identities and chooses to have conversations around complex and difficult realities that people from the community are living. We are open to attending pride parades, engaging with thought-leaders and change-makers from the community and addressing gender issues through our films and ads".

Adding to this Datta says, "I think it is great that our generation is able to be whoever they want freely. Even though it is still very hard for some people to show who they really are, I think we've still come a long way. It's not just about individual people, it's also about how communities are coming together to support each other and show people that there is a place for everyone".

Body positivity
With celebs and social media still continuing to set unrealistic beauty standards, we yet have a long way to go when it comes to body positivity.
Quite rightly, Arora says, "Body shaming and body dysmorphia is still a pressing issue that must be dealt with delicately. Many in my circle experience body shaming by immediate relatives or are unhappy with the way they look. However, there is rising awareness of this as well as acceptance in many cases. It is important to be easy on oneself".

Sharing her take on body positivity, Dhiman says, "Although platforms like Instagram come with a lot of social pressure to "look good", it has also allowed plus-sized models and creators to garner support and love for what I would say is a perfectly human way to be. Moreover, it is wonderful to see people becoming aware of the stereotypes that renowned brands promote in their advertisements and voicing out their need for more visual inclusion. Not to forget, there are new clothing lines and startups coming up that specifically design products for certain body types and skin colours today; a movement that is creating room for more personalities to shine and inspire".

Bhangale adds, "A growing wave of body positivity is flowing through Gen Z where everyone is more accepting of people having different body types".

Love and dating
Flings, causal dating, open relationships, situations, etc. The list of new-age dating terms and concepts is exhaustive. Unlike other generations, Gen Z is more open and willing to explore new connections.

While Arora looks at experimenting with newer ways of dating positively, Datta thinks, the love and dating scene with the GenZ has become more complicated than it used to be. However, she too thinks it is healthy to experiment with new forms of dating. She says, "It's great that people are getting the confidence to explore and try new things. If they don't like it, there's no obligation for them to stay in a particular relationship."

How Gen Z exercise their right to freedom of expression using social media
Over the past few years, Borana has seen students being more vocal on social media. She says, "Social media is the strongest tool that helps Gen Z exercise their right to freedom of expression. They have an outlet to freely express themselves and also feel validated."

In agreement, Datta says, "This generation is so honest and open about their feelings. That is a great thing. Being able to voice your opinions and having a platform where your voice is heard is so important. Not only this, but I think that this generation is also more open to listening to other people's opinions and that's what helps in having healthy discussions about things, whether that's political beliefs, personal beliefs, or anything else".

Borana however cautions about their online privacy and hate which also comes along with expressing on social media. Expressing her concern, the counsellor says, "The information people share online might not always be processed in the right manner. Sometimes what one expresses might not be received well by other users leading to hate comments that can disturb the individual and also end up damaging the society in a way".

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