GenZ’s belief in true love continues to decline: MTV Youth Study

About 51% will wait for the right opportunity to come their way instead of going after just anything that is offered to them and 74% said DIY during the lockdown has now grown to become a habit while 82% were more proud and confident about themselves after completing DIY tasks.

Over 21% of Gen Z feel it is the most important thing in life to follow their passions instead of having a stable job, trending up exponentially from 9% in 2016.

This was a part of the study’s ‘Agla Chapter: Side Hustle’ category, which also said that with side-hustle gaining more importance in Gen Zers lives, 70% felt side-hustles are the real shot to fame and success and 69% felt they would want to earn from their hobbies.

Addressing the optimism topic, Anshul Ailawadi – head, youth music and english entertainment at Viacom18, said that GenZ is actually more resilient and optimistic than before the first wave struck. “They are definitely dealing with something that their parents never dealt with, a pandemic of this sort. They have evolved coping mechanisms. I would rather say that the pandemic has had a deeper impact on the older generation,” he said.

He added that considering 2020 has been the year of reset, a lot of principles or thoughts that one typically denies, have become mainstream.

“A lot of the changes that we thought would never create an impact have suddenly accelerated. For marketeers somewhere, it is almost like they have to see a newer version of this beast that is GenZ,” he said.

Under the concept of ‘money matters’ was the category ‘OG Bae Returns’ that stated money holds prime importance for Gen Zers in a post-Covid world.

For 46% of respondents, money is all that matters, up from 21% in 2019. About 46% said they would rather focus on being rich and successful instead of living a meaningful life, up from 25% in 2019.

It also stated that a staggering 74% felt there are a lot of undiscovered careers and ways to make money.

GenZ and their ‘love’ for love, was also a highlight in the study under the ‘Pyar Dhoka Hai’ category which said that Gen Zers’ belief in true love continues to decline.

One out of every two respondents said they flirted with someone else apart from their boyfriend or girlfriend during the lockdown.

Around 25% said they don’t believe in marriage, up from 10% in 2019 and 8% in 2016.

There was a 13% decline in 2021 as compared to 2019, in the percentage of GenZ who shared that they are in a committed relationship. They are less likely to date someone they meet online and believe that people treat relationships like stories – ‘here today, gone tomorrow’.

The category ‘Volume over Words’ revealed that although Gen Zers are extremely vocal on subjects of national interest, they have muted participation for on-ground events. 83% agree that political topics are a part of peer conversations.

Streaming platforms were the next highlight of the study, under the ‘Apply content over burnt areas’ category. It stated that 21% of Gen Zers watch shows as a method of escapism into an imaginary world, up from 17% in 2019. Around 67% said streaming apps allowed them to watch the content of their choice without having to pretend or fear being judged.

For 66% streaming content of their choice made them feel more expressive and free and 43% said listening to music kept them emotionally healthy and is still the no.1 stressbuster.

‘Alexa, give me peace of mind’ focused on how Gen Zers are seeking refuge in family, religion and friends. Stating how there is negativity and volatility of the world around the Gen Zers, the study said 52% of them attributed their happiness to their family, up from 42% in 2019 and 13%in 2016.

During the lockdown, 65% of respondents said their families were the most motivating factor. Being family oriented rose to the top of their partner’s priority list.

Around 70% felt more in control of their life after prayer and 62% said being spiritual gave them clarity in a confusing world. Also, 42%would avoid having friends who compete with them, up from 18% in 2019; 45% felt friends are only for fun, up from 25% in 2019.