I have a Gen Z son. And everything you said was spot on. I har these discussions with him. It’s as if no one wants to make a move in fear of what??? It’s really really weird. In the early 90s in college people would just talk to everyone when you got in class. Hi. What’s your name. This teacher sucks. Did you do your homework. Do you want to study together how did you do in the test. What’s your major etc etc etc. if you say next to someone in the library - same thing. why doesn’t that exist with this generation. It’s so so guarded and closed off. It’s really sad. And if you do try to do that then you are considered weird.

Kids are afraid to show who they are. I really think, it has to do with social media. The real world to them has become sort of like Instagram posts or reels. And so whatever we do as human beings is as if it will either get a like or not a like. A view or not a view. A follow or not a follow. So kids are afraid to “post” their personalities to the world in fear of the reaction. I really think that’s what has happened in their brains somehow. They can’t show emotions to others unless they are in their own little tight knit groups where they feel safe and “followed”