The 21st century is a wild time to be a young person. The old systems are crumbling, new ideas are bubbling up, and people are more restless than ever. At the center of it all is the greatest communication system the world has ever known, reflecting every frustration and desire through a maze of mirrors. Everything is falling apart — and anything is possible.
NextGen 2022
How young people use technology to navigate our strange new world
We wanted to know firsthand what it’s like to be a young person in the present moment, so we went straight to the source. In June, we put out a call for pitches from young writers, asking for personal essays about their experiences with technology. Now, we’re ready to share what came back: 11 pieces exploring how technology is helping young people navigate our strange new world, publishing throughout the week. Whether it’s underground Discord channels or chaotic online art clubs, these communities are redefining what it means to grow up online.
We got a ton of great pitches for this and we’re hugely grateful to everyone who sent something in, even if we weren’t able to get you on the site. Don’t feel too bad, though — we’re hoping to do this again before long, so you’ll have another shot. Stay tuned!
Finding community in a hip-hop producer’s Twitch stream
New platforms are enabling a more expansive and communal kind of fandom
Moving from Dubai to California, Spotify kept me in touch with my culture
Tracking the musical diaspora, one playlist at a time
The chaotic joy of Art Fight
An online art festival has become my favorite place on the internet
Learning to love being asexual while looking for love on Discord
How Discord helped me learn some parts of ourselves are a feature — not a bug
Pirates of Khadda Market
A young software engineer looks back at his formative experiences in Karachi, Pakistan
The speakeasy economy of WeChat
I found a hidden economy in my small college town made by and for Chinese consumers
Finding friendship and freedom on an electric skateboard
How a PEV Facebook group got me through high school
How an online community took back the Legend of Zelda
Ship of Harkinian is a labor of love years in the making