Digital mood swings
The memeification of #ww3
The United States’ unprecedented strike on Iran sent the internet into a tailspin. Content swung wildly between the absurd and the alarming, and the possibility of World War 3 was instantly a meme.
This what it means to exist online in 2025.
One moment you’re watching a political creator break down a foreign policy crisis; the next you’re seeing bikini pics from a friends’ beach weekend, an influencer getting engaged, NBA finals highlights, or a foodfluencer making high protein snacks.
I call this a digital mood swing.
The contrast of content is surreal, but no longer surprising.
Millennials learned to post through crisis during the 2010s, but Gen Z is turning it into an art form.
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For them, saturated social media algorithms take it to the next level. It’s not desensitization exactly, but something more complex – a way to process it all, a kind of language or shorthand, and a reflection of what it means to live in a world that is both extremely online and rarely makes any sense.
To learn more about how these conversations are happening offline, I checked in with members of The Up and Up’s Gen Z community.
Here’s some of what they said they’re talking about with their friends:
“Nuclear war, WW3 starting”
“Jokes about the draft”
“Enlisting”
“Panic over the idea of being at war”
“Possibilities of being drafted”
“That it’s unnecessary”
“Continued fears about crackdowns on freedom of speech and protest in the US”
“I have friends who are active duty so it’s scary to think that another Benghazi might happen”
“I’ve stated I don’t think war is a likely outcome”
“I just signed up for the Army National Guard and my friends are concerned about the possibility of me being sent to fight over there. It's definitely a thought that has popped in my head and made me concerned. I don't think it's likely, but then again we never really know do we,” said a 24-year-old from Illinois.
“We are concerned about how the strike on Iran will increase discrimination in the U.S. against Arab people similar to what happened during the Iraq war, and how U.S foreign affairs in the Middle East will be used to distract the U.S. public from denouncing or challenging unpopular domestic policy,” said a 22-year-old from New York.
“Fear of being drafted, how dumb this is,” said a 29-year-old from California.
“Wasn’t this the guy who’s supposed to stop forever wars?,” said a 26-year-old from Maryland.
“We talked about how the strikes are not meant to cause WW3 but prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons and power in the Middle East over Israel,” said a 19-year-old form South Dakota.
Here are some other key takeaways from their feedback:
Asked on a scale of 1-10 how much attention they were paying to the conflict, no respondent said less than 4, with most saying 7 or above.
Most disagree with President Donald Trump’s decision to strike Iran.
Most believe the president needs congressional approval before deciding to strike foreign nations.
A few planned to demonstrate against the strikes, but for the most part, people did not intend to protest.
Most said the idea of war was part of who they decided to vote for in 2024.
No one wants war. But the young people I spoke with reflect the wide range of opinions in the U.S. about how involved America should be in foreign conflicts. And yet, on both ends of the political spectrum, young people see qualms with getting involved in foreign affairs, breaking from the status quo of former U.S. foreign policy positions. Most respondents said that if the U.S. were to get involved, it should primarily be for peace or diplomacy. A few said they believe in the need for targeted strikes.
“Their problems are none of our business,” a 17-year-old from Arkansas said generally about U.S. involvement in the Middle East.
In my conversations over the past couple of years with young people on the right especially, I’ve been struck by the strong opposition to what they call “neocon” policies.
Asked the biggest global threat, the respondents listed a range of issues, with the most common being either Iran, Russia, China and North Korea or domestic threats like white supremacy and President Donald Trump himself.
The Gen Zers I heard from said they’re getting their news about the conflict from a range of sources, from traditional outlets like CNN, MSNBC and Fox, The New York Times, and Al Jazeera, to sites like The Daily Wire, newsletters, and independent news sources. As for creators, respondents listed Hasan Piker, John Oliver and generally, TikTok political creators.
Noteworthy reads
MAGA courts the next generation of conservatives, Tal Axelrod and Erica Pandey for Axios
Gen Z is bringing the gig economy to corporate America, Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert for Business Insider
From the pandemic to porn, here's how norms around sex are shifting for Gen Z, Tonya Mosley for NPR’s Fresh Air
And ICYMI…
Over the weekend, Axios featured by research on Gen Z 1.0 and 2.0.
Gen Z’s stunning partisan split, Erica Pandey for Axios
If you want to learn more about how my theory of the two Gen Zs applies to you and your work, please reach out. I'd love to chat.
Dear Rachel - as I (an old boomer) plan my podcast over the next few months (I have a small pod in the Erie PA area that is growing) I have begun a deep dive into Gen Z matters. My partner and I have been talking about how best to engage with young people (He is a 50 something) and your work is some of the best in this regard I have seen. We are planning to do a series with Gen Zers and any guidance you can offer (or - if you had time to do an interview yourself) would be much appreciated. As always - I recognize that people doing good work - like you - are busy so if you can connect - great - but if not.... Keep up the good work.