Virtual Natives

12You're Not the Boss of Me

Virtual Natives grew up with social media. Unlike Millennials, who were guinea pigs experimented on by app makers who sought to influence and manipulate behaviors, Virtual Natives are highly aware, digitally literate, and have always been surrounded by the ongoing cultural discussion about just how coercive digital media can be. They get the majority of their information from digital platforms, viewing content produced by their friends, peers, and other third parties. Overall, VNs are “more immune to the lure of misinformation because younger people apply more context, nuance and skepticism to their online information consumption,” according to a review of multiple surveys by Axios.¹ In fact, they're so confident about their own ability to sniff out the inauthentic and scammy that they lampoon older generations' ability to do the same by creating their own misinformation – then sit back and laugh when the oldies take the bait.

The VN resistance to manipulation is also a sign of their desire for personal agency and control, rather than wanting to let themselves be controlled by others. Their awareness of how coercive media can be may explain their insistence on authenticity and integrity before they grant authority to any entity. The world as it exists is full of points of coercion and behavioral cues. VNs not only see this; they will expect things to change this as they push back.

The Airline Puzzle

On a sunny day on June 11, 2021, over two million ...