Ignorance in the Age of Digitalization: A Deliberate Choice or an Algorithmic Influence?

–Satyaki Das

Just a month ago, when the news of “West Asia War inflicts Global Energy fear” hit the headlines, a friend of mine, who claims himself to be a ‘content creator’, texted me- "Why India after 75 years of independence still dependent on West Asia for oil and natural gas? Why can't India produce its own mineral oil and sell to other countries for profit?" 

These questions didn't surprise me; they disappointed me. He has a branded smartphone-likely the latest model, stable internet connection, browsers and Al applications like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. Yet, he chose to be ignorant. Not only did he choose it, he also showcased it.

This has become the hallmark of this generation, popular as "Gen Z." They are smart, tech-savvy and always glued to their laptops and tablets. Whether in buses, metros, parks, or malls, you'll always find them with headphones in their ears, phone or tab firmly on their palm, heads tilted down, eyes reflecting the blue light of a screen.You ask them some simple questions- 'How many States and Union Territories does India have?' 'Why do we celebrate the Republic Day?' 'Who was the first Indian to win Nobel Prize?' You will likely get the same dismissive response:

"Is it even necessary to know their answers? I'm enjoying a rom-com right now."

This unawareness does not stem from lack of informative resources; but more from personal choice. This generation possesses the most vast library in human history, yet exhibits the least awareness. They have cocooned themselves within a digital world where their horizons extend only to the content suggested by social media algorithms -'Tapinder Paaji ka famous Chole Bature' or 'When a Delhi boy dates a Mumbai girl'. They will google 'Whom is Taylor Swift dating to?' or 'Why is BTS's Jung Kook so handsome?' but rarely does this inquisitiveness stretch to ask 'Why South Korea is democratic but North Korea has a dictator? Why Korea is divided?' Youths often connect themselves so deeply to these foreign cultures that they drift far from their own traditional and cultural roots. With the rise of the K-Pop bands, for the Gen Z, there has been a sudden shift in their personal tastes: Korean chicken replaced pizza, burger as the favourite food and South Korea took over Switzerland or Paris as the ultimate travel destination.

It is not surprising to see them imitating the hairstyles and attire of their favorite idols, or possessing granular knowledge of Korean festivals and cultures. There is even a craze to learn the Korean language. But if you randomly ask a Bengali teenager to read out a Bengali text, you would likely receive a dismissive shrug and the reply, "My Bengali is not that strong”.

When a generation finds their own mother tongue too difficult- or rather, is least interested in their own culture -it is obvious that their own national history and traditions would fail to pique their interest.Nationwide survey reports by various NGOs and media houses raise an alarming concern on the dipping knowledge of present-day youth, while digital literacy is hitting a record spike.

The ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) in its recent surveys found that 25% of youth aged 14-18 could not even fluently read a Grade 2 level text in their mother tongue. Independent media houses like The Quint or The Lallantop, in their campus surveys, found that students can easily identify global influencers but struggle to name more than two freedom 

fighters beyond Gandhi or Nehru. In their surveys, they asked basic questions like "Who wrote our national anthem?" or "Why is Gandhiji called the Father of the Nation?" and in response they received silence and horizontal head nod. A 2024-25 Google-Kantar study on Gen Z News Consumption found that while 87% of urban youth are active online daily, 91% rely solely on social media for news. The importance of traditional newspapers has fallen. In this new ecosystem, news is dictated by algorithms, where the breakup of an international celebrity gets more priority over a worldwide crisis of natural gas or global energy shifts.

This ignorance also extends to the everyday happenings around them. While Gen Z is the most vocal generation on social media— especially on 'X' and Instagram, their ground participation is nil. Surveys from groups like CSDS-Lokniti and reports from the Election Commission of India (ECI) show a massive fall in political and electoral participation among youth, especially in urban areas. In the 2024 General Election, the ECI reported that in high-income cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, the number of youth voters was significantly lower than in rural areas. Only 38% of eligible 18-19 years-olds registered themselves, which means the newest adults showed no interest in even getting their new Voter ID, though they are often seen running hashtags and expressing their voices through keyboard comments on any national or international issue. They prefer to voice their opinion through keyboard over the ballot box.

Another concerning matter is the shift from curated news to algorithmic entertainment. According to a Reuters Institute 2023-24 report, many young users intentionally turn away from news because it brings down their mood. The Audit Bureau of Circulations and the Indian Readership Survey found a plummet in the reading of physical newspapers by this generation. A study by KPMG on media consumption in India found that 70% of young respondents get their news solely from social media headlines or reels/shorts.

As a consequence of this shift, the youth have become victims of Fake News, 'Influencer Trap' and the 'Algorithm'. Rather than searching for the truth, they often unknowingly circulate 'Fake News' or get brainwashed by the unfiltered opinions of random social media personalities. These influencers often curate content not to educate the viewers, but to serve their own personal interests(likes, shares, subscriptions) or community agendas.

 It is common to see young people running a viral hashtag or joining a digital outrage without even understanding the core issue or its historical, political, socio- economic context. Their consumption of information is no longer a conscious choice, but determined by social media algorithm and social media influencers who determine 'what you should know' and 'what you need not'. A question naturally arises here- why is this sudden transition from enlightenment to ignorance? Is it merely a failure of the education system, or are the causes more diverse? While many older generations would complain that mobile phones and high-speed internet have killed curiosity and the reading habit, digitalization is not the sole culprit. In fact,technology has made information more accessible than ever. The true causes are deeply psychological and social.

This generation lives for validation, which mostly comes from the peer. In their world, not knowing the name of the first Prime Minister of India is justifiable, but being unaware of a viral trending meme can get you mocked as a "stone-age human". Even reading choices these days are curated by trends. Consequently, it is not uncommon to find youth who have read the latest trending "BookTok" authors but have never heard of Charles Dickens or William Wordsworth. Knowledge thus has lost its traditional value; today information is only deemed valuable if it aligns with the media trend. This is has been attested by Deloitte and Pew Research through their surveys in 2024, where they found that 60% of young respondents feel ‘socially anxious’ if they are out of the loop on a trending topic.

All these lead us to a final question: Is Gen Z more attracted to frivolous trends over intellectual depth? The answer lies in a counter-question: After a grueling day of college routines or tiring office work, if you finally get an hour of leisure for yourself would you spend it analyzing the failures of the UNO in recent international crises, or would you choose an instant relief of laughing on a viral meme?

Political apathy is largely a result of decline of morality in politics and the cultural drift is a highly debatable consequence of "Cultural Imperialism". By choosing the path of 'Easy Ignorance' many prefer to protect their mental peace.

The youth are believed to be the pillars of a nation, but what if these pillars are hollow from within? Can they truly hold a strong nation, or are we witnessing a slow collapse? Many might argue, "I don't want to be part of 'nation-building’; I just want an enjoyable life with emotional peace." But there is a hidden cost to this narrow mindset. If a generation seeks only personal enjoyment while remaining oblivious to the changing socio- economic and political landscape, will it not lead to an even greater mental breakdown when reality would eventually strike? If we keep ourselves aloof from politics on the excuse that it is a "dirty game" and don't hold our elected representatives accountable, we will inevitably find ourselves in an authoritarian state where we are deprived of not just our basic human needs, but our fundamental rights too. Had the great youths of history been as lethargic and indifferent to the world around them, the progress of human history would have stalled centuries ago. 

Being ignorant may seem "cool" in the echo chambers of social media, but you cannot survive a war unless you are aware of your battlefield and your opponents. In the age of "Easy Ignorance," the most revolutionary act we can perform is to be critical, analytical and above all informatively aware.