’, was born between 1995 and 2010 and is starting to be recognized as a totally different species from their Millennial ancestors. Generation Z has already lived through two economic crises and a war against terrorism, in contrast to Millennials, who grew up in the comparatively tranquil and prosperous 1990s.

The Millennial generation has squandered its innocence. On the other hand, the Generation Z has lived their entire lives with their eyes wide open to the harsh side of the world. Experts contend that Generation Z is more realistic and diligent than previous generations due to its upbringing in turbulent times. In that sense, Generation Z is compared to the ‘

The phrase ‘Silent Generation’ was first used by 

” on November 5, 1951, even though it appears to have existed before the publication. The Silent Generation, commonly referred to as the 

, is the generational group that came before the 

. People born between the mid-1920s and early 1940s are referred to as being part of this generation. They also experienced both a war and a recession as they lived. They were thus molded into hardworking, pragmatic careerists who primarily shied away from taking ideological leaps.

In the years following World War II, the ‘Silents’ came of age. Their early years were characterised by instability. Similarly, Generation Z was born post-9/11. In actuality, as long as Generation Z can recall, the US has been at war. Both economic and environmental catastrophes have affected them. Gen Z has subsequently evolved into a risk-averse generation like the Silents prior to them.

, during which millions of Americans lost their employment, had a profound impact on the Silents. 

, a less severe but longer period of unemployment during which huge masses were incessantly losing their source of income, had a significant impact on Gen Z. The Silent generation introduced a strong work ethic to the factories of industrialised society because they were raised by farmers around the turn of the century. They grew up in hard times and viewed employment as a privilege. They all concur that the only path to achievement is via arduous labor and long hours. This chain of thought was thus carried on by the Generation Z.

, which holds that America has four different generations that recur periodically. 

 developed the Strauss-Howe generational theory, which depicts a supposed recurrent generation cycle in Western and American history. The idea is that repeating generational identities are linked to historical events. A new turning with a lifespan of 20–25 years is ushered in by each generational persona, during which a new social, political, and economic condition is present. A larger cyclical ‘

’ (a long human life, which usually spans between 80 and 100 years, although some saecula have lasted longer) consists of these. According to the theory, a crisis follows every saeculum in American history and is always succeeded by resurgence. Institutions and communal values are robust during this recovery. Finally, in the name of autonomy and individualism, consecutive generational archetypes attack and weaken institutions, which eventually results in a turbulent political environment that paves the way for another crisis.

Like any generation, the Silents are mainly composed of a continuum of personalities with distinctive edging. They were the ones who were determined to make things work and the individuals who believed in the dream enough to make it come true as many of them swore by the effectiveness of the government. Much like the Silents, the Gen-Z are self-effacing in a visible and silent way and inherently pragmatic. Nevertheless, both generations have worked and are progressively working hard to make the world a better place to live. Instead of excluding, they have been the ones to include; those who view disability as a condition rather than predestination. Some of these traits were imposed by the speed of history, while others resulted from the unique conditions that were typical in the years of youth.

Generational differences can help diversify the world and bring a variety of perspectives. While this pragmatic trend may give the impression that today’s generation is tragically and needlessly world-weary, it also may contain the possibility of prosperity. After all, the richest generation in history was the Silent Generation. Following which, the Generation Z has great potential to be the game changers in the ongoing and upcoming world affairs.

Is Gen-Z the New Silent Generation?

, a professor of public health and a researcher on ageing at the University of Chicago once said, “

A drug that slows the biological process of ageing will be a medical revolution on par with the discovery of antibiotics. Whoever develops the first one will be very, very famous

.” Well, the day has arrived and the “

Ageless: The New Science of Getting Older without Getting Old

’. Steele walks us through the principles of ageing biology and shows us how it has paved the way for us to stand where we are now – on the cusp of a medical revolution. In a talk with the 

– the website of the Daily Mail, a newspaper in the United Kingdom, Dr. Andrew asserted that recent developments in the field of senolytics—drugs that try to eliminate cells that impair tissue function— could be essential to human longevity. One such major development that he highly anticipates is the creation of drugs that focus on destroying senescent cells, also known as ‘

‘ cells. These cells stop proliferating and begin to build up in our bodies, eventually producing chemicals that quicken the ageing process. He believes that with the onset of such drugs in the marketplace, many individuals will easily be able to achieve a double-century mark.

I don’t think there is any kind of absolute cap on how long we can live…I can’t see a physical or biological reason why people couldn’t live to 200 — the challenge is whether we can develop the biomedical science to make it possible

The pursuance of a drug for an increased lifespan in human beings has been a crucial objective in the suddenly hot world of ageing science. Multiple tests conducted on mice and reptiles showed highly positive results in different laboratories. However, this does not corroborate the results on humans. The first study evaluating the effectiveness of senolytics was released in the year 2020, in a medical journal- 

. Tested on mice, the research noted: “

Broadly, it has been demonstrated in mice that administering senolytic drugs and eliminating senescent cells increase physical function and lengthen health span and lifespan…

”. Dr. Andrew Steele pointed to the study of reptiles, mainly a Galapagos tortoise when trying to increase humans’ life expectancy. After succeeding with the creatures, the study on humans has gained ground at a rapid rate. “

We’ve reached the perfect storm in ageing science. Everything is happening. We have the foundation from decades of studies on animals. We’re ready to move forward to people

 the director of the Institute for Ageing Research, New York.

Other specialists, in stark contrast, contend that trying to prolong life, even in the name of health, is a doomed pursuit. Given humanity’s long history of hoarding and wasting resources, as well as the enormous socioeconomic disparities that already exist in a world of almost eight billion people; it is fair to assume that most people are anxious about the risk of overpopulation.

The unending desire to live longer has amplified greed among the mortals. The most willing individuals to promote the human trials of these drugs are mainly from the ultra-rich category. A prominent company working in the space of ageing biology is 

 and it has raised more than 300 million dollars from investors like 

. While these advancements take place, the idea of living for over 200 years which was once a pipe dream has left us on pins and needles.

The desire to unlock the secrets of longevity and immortality has likely been around as long as humans’ awareness of death. According to experts, it might be that humans don’t comprehend death. Therefore, the infinite desert of death and the thought of not living causes a form of FOMO. In an interview with Time, 

, an American sociologist and bioethicist said, “

The quest to live forever, or to live for great expanses of time, has always been part of the human spirit…The most difficult and impenetrable thing to us as mortal beings is our own death… We don’t understand it, we don’t get it, and as meaning-laden mortals, we can’t fathom what it means to not exist

With the development of this drug, the technology to live far longer is already here. But the question is- 

Will the politicians, skeptics, hatemongers, powerful nutjobs and people obsessed with death allow it to be executed successfully and respect people who want to live and enjoy life longer?

 Perhaps the most unpredictable consequence of uncoupling lifespan from our inherited biology is how it would alter our future psychology. The idea that earthly existence is limited and, in the larger scheme of things, relatively short has permeated every aspect of human civilization. If we are born one day knowing that we can reasonably expect to live 200 years or longer, will our minds readily accept this unparalleled scope of life? Or is our neural architecture intrinsically unfit for such broad horizons? Only time will tell.

What if you could actually live for 200 years?

” While this is in pursuit of purpose, it also offers an escape from our conditions through vintage images. These images include a color palette of dark and neutral shades, thick classic novels, minimal and delicate jewellery, tweed trousers, black turtlenecks, and too many cups of black coffee. Often located in an art museum or a historic library or merely at a study desk, these dark academic snapshots worship aesthetic standards that, if followed, can only lead us astray.

A common question that would arise is how did the Dark Academia social media trend spring to prominence recently? The answer lies in the Style section of 

. Most likely in June 2020, during the initial days of the pandemic lockdown, an article titled “

” brought this concept to light. People took to the app of Tik Tok and created a slew of short looping videos, lionizing dark academia and boosting its popularity. Having its genesis in 

, this internet culture has transcribed into real life to become a lifestyle movement with core beliefs and ethos.

“Known as Dark Academia, it is a subculture with a heavy emphasis on reading, writing, learning — and a look best described as traditional-academic-with-a-gothic-edge; think stubby brown cardigans, vintage tweed pants, a worn leather satchel full of a stack of books, dark photos, brooding poetry and skulls lined up next to candles.”

Dark academia is the yearning for a life yet to be lived with academic blunders. There is an unbearable whiteness with the literary canon having little to no variety. It creates an unhealthy romanticizing in denial of the eternal verities. The aesthetic is just a set of facades to hide superficiality and meaningless conformity.

The critics point mainly to the lack of diversity in this community, notably in terms of colour. Dark Academia, as an aesthetic, is steeped in 19th and 20th century Europe. It is sadly, 

 and ignores other races and colours. The issue arises from Dark Academia’s attempt to teach that Eurocentric literature and languages are superior to all other literature and languages. There is no heterogeneity in the trend. The 1988 book and 1989 film, 

 is an archetype of Dark Academia as a movement. 

, a liberal English teacher, encourages his students to defy convention, challenge the status quo, and live life without remorse. He brings with him a passion for teaching romanticism, thus exposing his students to a world they have never seen before. The nasty scar is that the entire cast is composed of white men, completely devoid of diversity in terms of race and gender.

In order to fully comprehend the aesthetic, we must look at 

. It has been the magnum opus of the dark academia genre since its publication in 1992. Although it is rarely read, and when it is, it is frequently misunderstood, 

 showcases itself as the orthodox lexicon of dark academia. The novel is about five students studying Greek at an elite university in New England and their attempts to hide the murder of their coalition’s former sixth member. The stumbling block here is the ultimate need to be a part of the upper class. It’s a necessity to be rich with a polished urbanity. The Dark Academia community includes solely the 

. They receive criticism due to the concentration on top-tier and Oxbridge universities, which are 

Unfortunately, dark academia is in many ways an enigma pointing out how to glorify suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, and depression. Mental illness and drunkenness are romanticized and idealized in an extreme way. The aesthetic supports studying around the clock, skipping sleep, and ignoring the need to maintain mental health in order to do so. In the world of dark academia, unhealthy lifestyles such as caffeine obsession and extreme sleep deprivation are prevalent.

The camp of people who find placidity in dark academia wish to be perceived as something akin to an angsty scholar who is intelligent but disturbed. They seem unruffled as they read complex poetry and discuss classics at length. A chaotic yet organized energy powered by a frantic drive for learning consumes them, thus entrapping them into this toxic romanticization. Only neurotypical and nonpareil individuals can find a place in this tribe. Achieving divine madness is a dark academics’ raison d’être. “

Whether or not, Dark Academia is the Modern Renaissance

” – it is a question that persists unanswered in the colorful yet daunting thoughts of the dark academia realm.

Debunking Dark Academia: From Dead Poets Society to The Secret History

The earmarks of retro-futurism would be the immaculate and idyllic vision of the future in which creators of all dimensions imagined how space exploration, robotics, or modes of transportation would evolve in the coming decades. In the 1950s and 1960s, iconic magazines such as 

, informed their readers about the so-called “

“, where flying cars, submarines, and other inventions travelled into space.

Retro-futurism investigates the tensions that exist between the past and the future, as well as the alienating and empowering impacts of technology. It is defined by a mix of old-fashioned ‘

‘ with futuristic technology. Retro-futurism, a blend of utopian and dystopian conception, could be defined as follows: 

Retro-futurism encapsulates humanity’s long history of limitless creativity, solipsistic folly, and forlorn optimism.

This concept gained impetus in the year 1983 when an ad about Bloomingdale’s jewellery got published in the New York Times. The advertisement came under the limelight as it talked about giving “

”. Later on, the Oxford English Dictionary mentioned this ad as the earliest recorded use of a term related to the idea of retro-future.

Since then, retro-futurism has been a popular concept among designers, artists, filmmakers, and video game developers. Many fictional and real-world events represent retro-futurism in inconceivable ways, whether it’s Marty McFly’s future visit in 1989’s smash hit 

 in 2007. In recent years, the notion has come under significant discussion. 

, a German architecture critic, has viewed retro-futurism as “

”, reminiscing the visions of the previous generations in the present. 

, a Canadian author and illustrator, calls retro-futurism a “

“—the nostalgia for a future that never came to being.

Many of the general trends are owed to the science fiction classic tome of 

, as well as the Space Race of the 20th century. Depending on which era you start from and what theme you focus on, retro-futurism can be split into several currents.

This genre is frequently explored in video games, comics, and popular movies like 

 series, and others, as a dark and dystopian retro-future with all of the modern technology. This retro-futuristic genre is known for its electronic music, eccentric dress designs, and low-key fashion items with a cyberpunk vibe.

The 1950s were a bright and glamorous era, with everything from gleaming 

 cars to stylish oversize glasses. Surprisingly, atompunk enriches the retro-futuristic 1950s with additional fascinating features. The soaring thunderbirds have jet propellers, the factories run on clean nuclear power, and bullet trains make city life faster than ever. The most popular depictions of atom punk may be found in 

What if Newton’s name is lost to history? What would our lives be like if the internet didn’t exist? Alternate history has always been a popular genre among writers, especially fiction fans, for answering such concerns. It investigates alternate versions of true historical events and the resulting consequences.

The nineteenth century was a period in which human life was profoundly altered. This was an amazing time when steam engine trains were running at full speed and new industries were sprouting up. Steampunk is a futuristic setting modelled on the nineteenth century, with large steam-powered machines (such as steam aircraft, steam artillery, and so on) at play.

The easiest approach to comprehend retro-futurism is to realise that it is fascinated with investigating notions about the future that are constantly changing at any one time. After all, who is to say that what we believe as a society will take shape technologically in the future, or even be near to what will happen?

The World of Retro-Futurism

It’s quite easy to believe the fallacy that when a large crowd is supporting something, there is validity and conformity attached to it. This myth is what the mobs thrive on. The psychology behind this entire notion comes under the idea of “

“, which was first proposed by nineteenth-century social psychologists – 

 Mob mentality, also known as herd mentality or pack mentality, is a psychological phenomenon in which individuals are influenced by their peers to adopt specific actions driven by emotion rather than rationale. Individuals who are influenced by mob mentality might make those decisions that they would not have made otherwise.

When people unify on the basis of their objectives, causes, or beliefs, they form a crowd where every individual’s thought process is affected in some way or the other. These crowds can be centred on their political, religious, racial, or cultural mindset. Based on their circle of influence, humans adopt certain behaviours and follow the trends. Pop culture, political ideas, and even stock market activity are all influenced by mob mentality psychology. When some stock rises amid a storm of hype, the investors scramble to buy it, even if they don’t personally approve of it. Superstitions, however irrational they may be, are followed by people in abundance. Absurd trends spread like wildfire, especially on social media. In all these cases, the pack mentality is seen to be at play. The theory of pack mentality seeks to highlight why a crowd accumulates, its physical composition, and how a crowd engages, so as to comprehend the behaviour of a crowd.

Many individuals have wondered how large crowds could do extremely awful deeds, such as the riots targeting particular communities. Some attribute this to cultural differences. There is, however, a third component at work which is the crowd itself. According to the concept of herd mentality, crowds have a 

 on their members. Irrational and emotionally charged behaviour is a product of a hypnotic effect paired with the anonymity of belonging to a huge group of individuals, even if it is only for that particular moment. Psychologists confirm that it is a natural impulse for humans to follow the mob. Crowds can turn out to be harmful because they foster a mob mentality. Individuals often feel faceless and less responsible for their actions, especially in acts of aggressiveness, when acting alongside others. They may even wilfully commit crimes in order to gain the approval of others around them. Evidence suggests that being swept up in a crowd’s exuberance might cause people to lose touch with their particular code of morality, and as a result, be more prone to break it.

As history demonstrates, a lack of awareness of the importance of the crowd, or a misperception of its nature, frequently leads to security practices that inadvertently aggravate social outrage. One of the most famous examples of herd mentality from the past is the “

, was the site of the infamous witch-hunting activities. In the summer of 1692, from June to September, nineteen men and women who were accused of “

 and hanged. The rapid escalation of the proceedings was due to a mob mentality. This is because people had to point their fingers at others if they didn’t want to be implicated themselves. The report stated that those who “

scoffed at claims feared becoming targets themselves

“. The Salem witch trials were extremely powerful due to the mob mentality. It compelled everyone who wanted to live to become active prosecutors and enthusiastic supporters of the witch-hunting processions. People put their personal beliefs aside and followed the mob’s beliefs. The Salem witch trials were completely driven by the psychology of pack mentality, which is why they grew rapidly.

Crowds are developing as society’s instrument for shaping the operating strategy of the twenty-first century, as proven by recent events. Social media is the dominant mechanism for driving crowd behaviour. Herd behaviour is influenced by social media in multiple ways. It is a key tool for provoking and organising a crowd. Social media is also responsible for maintaining and feeding a crowd’s passion, and it is accountable for broadening the reach of the crises across philosophical and social lines.

 is the greatest approach to avoiding herd or mob mentality. We often tend to overlook who the figurehead is behind the recurring affirmations and end up believing what the mobs follow. It’s only human to want to go along with the wave. But one must be willing to go against the norm, be it for positive or negative reasons.

Where all think alike, no one thinks very much

The Stakes of Diplomacy (1915) by Walter Lippmann

The Pitfalls of Mob Mentality

The process of manually cleaning, dumping, or removing human excreta from dry lavatories, manholes, and sewers is known as 

. It usually entails the use of basic items like buckets and brooms. The hazardous activity of entering and clearing manholes requires professional safety equipment and extreme caution. But, in 

, the workers merely wear a helmet and a jute rope in the name of a harness. These areas are toxic, with deadly fumes of methane, nitrogen, ammonia, and hydrogen sulphide building up over time, generated by a dangerous cocktail of human and industrial wastes. These workers wear canister masks, the cover of which states – “

if used in an environment with low oxygen levels, you are in danger of suffocation

.” The reduced oxygen levels in the sewage lines or the manholes cause hypoxia, which often leads to 

This laborious task is done by an ostracised community considered the lowest in society – 

. These workers are still regarded as ‘

’ on the basis of their vocation. There is clear-cut physical segregation as the houses of these individuals stand apart from the other sections of society. This fear of exclusion compels these workers to not disclose their jobs, even to their family members. The stigma of caste discrimination continues to remain the black spot in the development of our nation.

, a Ph.D. student in the light of the day, switches to his profession as a sweeper when sundown approaches. He is a Dalit by caste who has attained six degrees–

B.Com, B.A. in Journalism, M.A. in Globalisation and Labour, Master of Social Work, Doctor of Social Work,

. Despite these high educational qualifications, he continues to clean the streets of 

. Belonging to a family of manual scavengers, Sunil recalled his first experience of cleaning the sewers. He said, “

My first day at work was like hell. The stink in my hand took three days to fade

.” Overwhelmed by the dread and distress of being shut out from society because of his job, Sunil forced himself to pursue higher studies. But his fate brought him back to, as he puts, “

” – with an unshakeable will to bring about a change for his community members.

One of modern India’s greatest shame is its official failure to eliminate manual scavenging; the most degrading practice of untouchability in the country. The graph continues to rise as the number of deaths due to cleaning manholes and septic tanks increases each year. The 

National Commission for Safai Karamchari (NCSK)

 reported that over the past ten years, 631 workers have died while cleaning the sewers and manholes.

472 deaths from 2016 to 2020 and 26 deaths this year till date due to manual scavenging are recorded with details of each incident sent to the central government! Still, it keeps denying even a single death!! Shameful!! #ManualScavenging #stopkillingus

Bezwada Wilson also elaborates how the entire concept of manual scavenging is an issue of both 

. He says that the Dalit categorize themselves in this job on the basis of their gender. The high-paid jobs of cleaning the sewage and septic tanks are dominated by the men, leaving the dry lavatories to the women, where the wages are low.

It is such a filthy job. I just hope somehow, I get rid of this hell. My life is miserable. I hope the government gives me another job

, a 57-year-old manual scavenger from the 

There are high expectations for the new Act – 

The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation (Amendment) Bill, 2020

The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act

 that a strict stance was taken against employing manual scavengers and the construction of dry toilets (toilets without a flush system). But the Act had its limitations. Another Act called 

The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act

 was passed in 2013, which was wider in scope than the 1993 Act and more importantly, acknowledged the urgency of rehabilitating manual scavengers. Despite the formation of these laws, the practice of manual scavenging persists. It is due to the loopholes and the big gap in their implementation on ground.

Eradicating this evil requires more than just passing a bill in the parliament. To terminate the practice of manual scavenging, the government must take a bigger step; 

Articles by Ambrisha Zubeen

Is Gen-Z the New Silent Generation?

What if you could actually live for 200 years?

Debunking Dark Academia: From Dead Poets Society to The Secret History

The World of Retro-Futurism

The Pitfalls of Mob Mentality

Modern India’s Form of Untouchability: Manual Scavenging

Is Gen-Z the New Silent Generation?

What if you could actually live for 200 years?

Debunking Dark Academia: From Dead Poets Society to The Secret History

The World of Retro-Futurism

The Pitfalls of Mob Mentality

Modern India’s Form of Untouchability: Manual Scavenging