Good Morning Iran
A Look at the Thoughts, Demands, Recreational Activities and Aspirations of Generation Z and Those Born in the 2000s in Iran.
Hey, Arya is me
From Generation Z
Insulted in stories
Petite with a big heart for worries
Tiny boy among hundreds of wolves
Not like Godzilla moves
We are your subject
Perfectly quiet
Wishing to be a star
for all to gaze afar
Who says little ones
Shouldn’t struggle-rise
Aha
Arya and his Generation Z friends have a music group which in their words tries to “uphold the banner of Generation Z.” They have two adolescent guitar players and Arya who is their rapper. After uploading this music video on social media, their fans leave them many comments: “I am proud of being a Gen Z-er.” “Cheers to All Gen Z-ers.” “I followed you my love. Follow me.”
A few months ago when Arya was singing about his dream for Gen Z-ers to be seen, he probably could not have believed that a few months later, his generation which according to global scientific research is known as Generation Z (born from the mid-1990s to early 2010s) was destined to enter the scene of social transformations and in their own words, “take on the task.”
With the death of Mahsa Amini, a Gen Z girl, after being arrested by the Morality Police, extensive protests began in various cities around the country. An important part of the protesters are the young generation who had not been seen heretofore or had not been taken seriously by governmental institutions and society. This generation is now protesting and has shocked many. The adolescent and young girls who for the past three or four years have occupied the seats of the Morality Police vans, are now protesting from high school desks to university campuses.
According to official statistics of security forces published by the Fars News Agency on Mehr 27 (October 17), 41.8% of those arrested during the recent protests are girls and boys under age 20. 48.2% are between 20 and 35 in age. 10% are over 35. Of course Jalal Husseyni, vice president of the Basij (paramilitary forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps) has stated that 70% of those arrested are under 20.
If we go back in time from the social protests of the past two months and review the social developments of the past few years, we can clearly see signs of Gen Z’s presence and bravado in society from around 2012 and especially 2017. Some examples are the following: Gathering for water play at the Water and Fire Park and the arrests of several adolescents in 2011; The recording of the Happy music video on the roof of a house in Tehran in 2014 as part of a global campaign, and the police arrests of the young producers within a few hours; The large presence of adolescents and youth at the funeral of Morteza Pashaei in 2014 and the takeover of the Kourosh Mall in June 2016.
On Tuesday June 7, 2016, the shopkeepers and employees at the Kourosh Mall in western Tehran were all asking the same question from each other: “What are all these kids doing at the mall?” The kids were middle school and high school students who had arranged through Telegram to meet and celebrate the completion of their end of the year examinations with a large gathering, or in their own words, a “meeting”, at the Kourosh mall. A year and a half after the gathering of the youth at that mall, and just at a time when the Rouhani administration was concerned about the U.S. exiting the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) [Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with the U.S., China, France, U.K., Germany, European Union and Russia] and grappling with the daily side effects of U.S. president Trump, social protests began in December 2017 in the city of Mashhad and soon spread to Tehran and other cities. The Unrest, according to Rahmani Fazli, the minister of interior at the time, took place in 100 cities and led to the arrest of over 5000.
Asef Bayat, a sociologist and professor at the University of Illinois believes that the core of the December 2017 events was formed by “the subaltern middle class.” Rahmani Fazli had said: “Thirty nine years after the revolution, we are facing a generation which within the framework of the system and religious values, has different tastes, beliefs, thoughts, ideas, relations, needs, demands to which we should definitely pay attention. Lack of attention to this matter will lead to the accumulation of dissatisfaction, and disappointment will finally reveal itself somewhere. “
About two years after December 2017 and with the sudden increase in petroleum prices, once again many provinces, especially smaller cities and marginalized areas got involved in social protests which highlighted economic and subsistence challenges. Of course, once again the Gen Z-ers were present in that unrest. Those arrested included some students from Robat Karim. Two weeks after these events, the monitor at one of the schools in this marginalized city in the province of Tehran recounted that on that day, only 10 of the 180 students scheduled for the afternoon shift were present in class. In the morning of one of those December 2017 days,in the office of the principle of one of the schools at Robat Karim, a few students who had witnessed the events told me about what they had seen. One said: “There was black smoke everywhere. They were burning tires and trash cans on the road. Some were chanting. Some were recording videos. I had never seen such a thing.” The other whose hands were shaking from stress, said: “One of the students who is also a worker like us had gone out to see what was happening. They arrested him. He was detained for four days but then released. He was a very calm and obedient student who did not talk much. When he returned to school, he was not in a good mental state. The school monitor called his family and asked them to keep him at home for a few days to rest. We could not talk more with him because he was not in a good mental state.”
A Population of 15 Million
The generation which many government officials in their political language consider “non-traditional,” constitutes an important part of the Iranian population and will mark the future of Iran for at least two decades. According to the latest official census (2016), between the years 1996 and 2001, the Iranian population increased by 15,094,181. Thus, Generation Z constituted 20% of the Iranian population of 80 million in 2001. Furthermore, among those born between the years 1996 and 2011, about 10, 440,294 were born between 1997 and 2007 (now between 15 and 25 years old) and 4,653,887 were born between 2006 and 2011 (now roughly between 10 and 15 years old). Of course the death rate among adolescents and youth has not been considered in these figures. Generation Z includes approximately 9,303,300 middle school and high school students and approximately three million university students. According to the 2016 census, a family in Iran is composed of 3.3 people which shows that a considerable part of Generation Z are considered the only child in their family and do not have brothers or sisters. This trend seems to have intensified and has become predominant among those born in the decade between 2011 and 2021. Statistics show that these children received a lot of attention from their parents. Thus, in a survey on “The Internet and Children in Iran: Opportunities and Threats,” 64.7% have said that at home, their views are listened to, “often” or “quite often.” According to this survey of children and adolescents, ages 7 to 17, conducted under the guidance of the Ministry of Culture, 26% said that at home their views are rarely listened to. 36% said that their views are listened to “often” and 26.7% said their views are listened to “very often.”
In reality this generation was born in families of parents born in the 1970s through the mid-1980s. Their parents’ generation grew up during the revolution, the Iran-Iraq War and the coupon-based economy. They experienced their adolescence and young adulthood during the period of reform and political tensions such as the July 1999 student protests at Tehran University’s dormitory and the chain assassinations. They witnessed the presidency of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the 2009 Protests [against a fraudulent election] and years of sanctions during the prime of their youth. They entered midlife at the time of the U.S. withdrawal from the JCPOA nuclear deal with Iran, the sudden rise of the price of the dollar, the December 2017 and November 2019 protests and the shooting down of the Ukrainian airplane [by the Iranian army in January 2020].
Despite living in a country with the second largest reserves of natural gas and fourth largest reserves of petroleum, those born in the 2000s were raised in a society where 18.4% of the population is poor. According to the official statistics of the Ministry of Health (2016), 23.4% of the population (one in four) suffers from a mental disorder. According to these statistics, 12% of men and 16% of women in this country have depression. Considering the economic problems and other developments in this country, this number has probably increased and has certainly affected the mental health of those born in the 2000s. Maryam Rasulian, the former head of the Association of Iranian Psychiatrists has stated in an interview with the Jam-e Jam newspaper that approximately 20 to 30% of adolescents and youth have psychiatric and psychological problems. But this does not mean that the other 70 or 80% are mentally healthy. The research model has been focused on mental disorders and not mental health. In addition, according to the Ministry of Health and the Campaign for Combatting Drugs, the age for smoking and use of drugs has decreased considerably in Iran. Some of those in the generation born in the 2000s smoke and use drugs. Last June [2022], the head of the Center for Prevention and Control of Smoking at the Shahid Beheshti Medical School announced that the age for widespread smoking has decreased to 13 to 15.
A teacher at one of the high-ranking girls’ schools in Tehran acknowledges that some of her students are grappling with emotional problems and depression. She states: “Stress and Depression are what girls always talk about. I know that some of them use tranquilizers.” She also talks about the use of drugs and cigarette smoking among students: “Nowadays we see that even in the best schools in Tehran, school girls smoke cigarettes in the school yard. When you speak with school counselors, you will find out that some students use drugs, especially Cannabis.” Mohsen, a high school student also says that stress is like “drinking water” among the generation born in the 2000s. He says the following about the use of cigarettes and drugs: “Smoking cigarettes has become normal in our generation, especially among high school students. Using hookahs and hashish are also recreational for many kids.”
Interested in Dialogue, Realistic and Truth-Seeking
A history teacher at a girls’ school in Tehran speaks of the anxiety-ridden days in her classroom. In the midst of a lesson, a student stands up from her chair and directly calls her teacher “a coward.” The teacher tells me: “I have been teaching for 14 years. I have been a history teacher at the best schools in Tehran, whether model schools, schools for the gifted, not for profit school or even Islamic schools. However, I have never experienced so much contention in my classroom. A student stands up in the midst of a lesson and says madam, we do not like what you are saying and want to talk about what is going on right now. We object. We have things to say.” This teacher recounts a story from one of her classes last year: “I was talking about war and telling the kids to imagine a scene from war. Then I asked, which is better in your opinion, being a soldier or being part of the reconnaissance? Which role would you prefer to have in a war? First, most girls said they would like to be soldiers, fight and defend their rights and their identity. However, after a half hour of conversation, the class reached the conclusion that not everyone needs to be a soldier and that essentially, some need to be part of the reconnaissance from the beginning. By the end of the class, some kids were saying that they would like to play a role within the reconnaissance at some point and be soldiers at a different point.
When asked what unique characteristics she would use to describe her students who were born in the 2000s, this history teacher said: “The kids born in the 2000s are bold and loveable. I would like to stress loveable. Most of them are very kind, straightforward and honest. These kids are intensely interested in hearing debates and discussions, and this seems to be the most attractive feature of their character. In addition to having 60 students from the generation born in the 2000s, I have a daughter who was born in 1997, and I live with these kids on a daily basis. The students who were born in the 2000s are very bright, straightforward, often self-absorbed and of course in love with technology. They have complex minds and have a strong analytic ability and in general are very demanding. We also see a lot of anger in this generation which seems to be mostly due to the lack of attention to them and the failure to take them seriously. They love to comment on issues. However, unfortunately, our schools, society or even families do not offer this space. At this point, the situation is such that many of our students see school as something against them and think that school is the symbol of the status quo which they have to struggle against. On the other hand, the school principals and monitors who have not been trained in crisis management, call on the police at the slightest incident instead of talking and reasoning with these kids. This has made the situation worse.
This teacher apologized several times and said: “Of course these kids have their own special language and use many swear words. Even when they want to praise each other, they use swear words to do so. For example, when they want to say that the other person is very kind, nice, or that they are excited about them, they use terms like “son of a gun.” In a classroom at one of the top schools in Tehran whose students usually get admitted to good universities such as Sharif University of Technology and Tehran University, the kids themselves had set fines for using swear words, and the drawer for the fines was always full of money.
According to this teacher, this generation, unlike the generation born in the 1980s and 1990s, do not show much excitement about going to university. They are more interested in gaining skills and having an income as soon as possible. One proof is the extensive activity of youth and adolescents in the production of Bitcoins, the digital currency market, cryptocurrencies and the world of Blockchain which have greatly influenced the thinking of those who are interested in complexity. Last year, the online website, Hamshahri [a major national Iranian Persian-language newspaper], published a report entitled “Millionaire Teenagers” in which it interviewed several of the students who had made money from digital currency activities. One of them had said that he had trained himself with the help of training videos from YouTube and by downloading and reading English-language reference books on “trade.” Mohsen, a student from a school for the gifted, had said: “In January of 2021, I started my work with a capital of 80 million Tomans [$1600 in 2024] which my father had given me. By now I have been able to buy anything I like with my income.” In responding to a question about whether trading has interfered with his study time for school, he said: “I have much less motivation for studying. In the future, I will definitely be a trader whether in the cryptocurrency market or the foreign exchange or gold or silver market.”
Statistics from the Ministry of Education and the National Organization of Educational Testing also clearly show that compared to previous generations, Generation Z is much less interested in going to university. For example, in the 2020-2021 school-year, the break-down within the high school student population nationwide was the following: 35% in technical schools, 24% in empirical sciences, 30% in the humanities, 9% in mathematics and physics, and less than one percent in Islamic Studies. Furthermore, according to the National Organization of Educational Testing, in 2021, half of the university seats remained unfilled because, out of 1,802,000 who had been deemed qualified to choose a field of study at a university, only 531,000 had made that choice.
There has been very little social, scientific and psychological research concerning the social and individual characteristics of Generation Z and specifically those born in the 2000s. In the most important surveys done during the past ten years, including the “Survey on Values and Views” (published in 2016), this generation has not been included because they were younger than 15 at the time. Thus, considering the generational developments that have taken place in society, experts believe that extensive research about this generation and the next generation born in the 2010s is needed. However, in general, global research on Generation Z done by the McKenzie Institute and Oxford University shows that the kids from this generation are not idealistic and make decisions realistically. They are truth-seeking and interested in interaction and dialogue. They follow global developments such as climate and environmental change and social actions. They value expressing feelings and believe in freedom of speech. They reach puberty at a younger age and they are severely dependent on the internet and technology. These are the individual characteristics that one can trace in a conversation with several of those born in the 2000s.
Baran, born in 2006, is a girl from Generation Z who was raised in a middle-class family. This is what she says about herself and people of her generation: “Those born in the 2000s are kind and brave. They are outspoken. Even if their words get them into trouble, they accept the consequences. It is the natural right of every human being to speak their mind and not be afraid. We the generation born in the 2000s believe in team-work and in general have a freedom-seeking spirit. We are warm and principled. I am not saying this because I am from this generation. No, it is because of what I see among friends and around me. We usually have each other’s back and quickly find each other through the internet and social media.
In contrast to Baran who presents a very positive view of those born in the 2000s, Radan, a high school student in twelfth grade who is planning to take the nationwide university entrance examination [concours], thinks that the generation born in the 2000s is getting too much attention these days. He says his generation is not unique and not much different from the generation born in the 1990s. The most important feature which distinguishes them from the generation born in the 1980s and 1970s is the dependency on and love of technology, the internet and the virtual sphere. He says: “I am glad to see that my generation seeks freedom but this is often not rooted in deep and thorough knowledge. I hope I am not insulting the people of my generation but in my opinion, those of us who were born in the 2000s do not know what we want. Like any other generation, we consist of a diversity of people. An important part of our behavioral characteristics is related to family upbringing.”
Parallel Lives in the Virtual World
Unlike global research, it is not possible to define the behavioral characteristics of Generation Z in Iran with a specific model. There is a diversity of perspectives which demand precise scientific research. However, it is possible to agree on one distinct behavioral characteristic of this generation, and that is use of technology, smart phones, extensive presence on the internet and various social media networks.
According to research done by the Ministry of Communication, 97% of youth between the ages of 15 and 17 have access to smart phones. Furthermore, the report based on the national survey, “The Internet and Children in Iran: Opportunities and Threats” (conducted by the Ministry of Culture among children ages 7 to 17) shows the following: 59.1% of respondents were 10 years or younger when they first used the internet. 31.4 % were 11 to 15 years old, and 2.3% were older than 15. In addition, 56.6% of children and adolescents participating in this survey said that they are active on social media. This survey also pays attention to the digital skills of children in the virtual space. “Children and adolescents are most highly skilled when it comes to downloading apps on their phone. 83.1 are highly skilled or very skilled.”
Those born in the 2000s call themselves a large “gang. ” On the Worldwide Web, they have taken over social media from YouTube to Instagram and TikTok. All you need to do is to take a look at these social media and do a search to notice their strong presence: Adolescents and youth are creating their own webpages and producing various clips, dubsmashes, music videos, motion graphics etcetera and trying to find “followers” for themselves and even earn money through this channel. For instance, the son of a political figure has his own page on Instragram and has gained followers among his generation by producing dubsmash clips and speeches with various emojis. According to his father who is being invited to various debates for lectures and for offering analyses of the state of society and social protests, he can even have an income. When you scroll up and down this adolescent’s page, what stands out is that in some clips, he even imitates his father’s manners in speaking and giving speeches.
“Parallel Lives” is the phrase that a teacher at a girls’ school uses to describe adolescent and youth presence on the Worldwide Web. “I think this generation is simultaneously experiencing two lives: One is this very real life. The other is the virtual life. When they put on their headsets and hold their mobile phones or tablets in their hands, it is as if they have entered another world which they always describe with excitement and which is full of colors and attractive details which they do not experience in real life at all. Kids who love social media and Instagram and YouTube and especially TikTok which is itself an infinite recreational club, do not get tired of surfing it.” According to this teacher, almost all his students have smart phone and even use its applications when in class to order food, . . .
Baran who is 16 says that kids who were born in the 2000s, spend more time on YouTube and TikTok than on studying and anything else. They surf and watch different clips. Radan, a high school student also believes that the generation born in the 2000s is very interested in “Western culture” and “living in other countries” because of technology and daily viewing of foreign sites. He says: “The kids of my generation are very good at finding each other quickly on social media and sharing any film, clip, . . . that they like. They love searching the web, surfing on foreign sites and connecting with a singer or actor and . . . That is why their English is very good.” He says: “When my brother was young, he would go through much trouble to get a song from Michael Jackson for example. But now, someone from the generation born in the 2000s can easily and in real time, download any rap song on their phone.” Radan says kids of his generation are also “addicted to computer games.”
The entire rectangular-shaped space on whose gate is written the word “GymNet” is no more than 20 meters. However, it holds more than ten boys aged 10 to 12 and adolescents ages 15 to 17 and 18. This is a room with grey metal doors whose walls are covered with famous computer game posters such as Fifa, Resident Evil, Hitman, Call of Duty and . . . Six people holding the PS4 handles are sitting on a long bench facing three large television sets. From the images on the monitor, you can tell that four of them are playing Fifa and two are busy shooting in Call of Duty. Behind these boys who constantly brag about themselves are some who are staring at the monitor and waiting for their turn to hold the PS4 handle. This is a GymNet in the Khazaneh-e Bokharayi neighborhood in the southern part of Tehran. Boys have to pay 50,000 Tomans ($1.25 in 2022) per hour to play games. Pejman who is dark-skinned and called “Black” by his friends, is a motorcycle shop worker. He says: “Almost every night after work, if we do not go to the tea house, we come here to play games with the guys for an hour. We are not like the people who live in the northern part of the city and have millions to buy XBox and PolyStation, but we can come here to play games. I love Fifa and always choose Barca.“ He laughs and says: “I defeat any team that confronts me, and rarely is anyone willing to bet with me.”
Computer games are what those born in the 2000s have in common. Those born in the 2010s and 1990s and even some of those born in the 1980s also share that interest, which can connect these four generations. These games are not limited to a particular social class, and have fans especially among boys, from the marginalized areas of the country to the most luxurious parts of cities.
The results of the research done by the Academic Center for Education, Culture and Research [Jahad-e Daneshgahi] also reveal this point. The study entitled “Examining the Degree of Computer Game Usage Among Youth and their Motivating Factors” was conducted among 432 students. 80.7% said they play computer games. 46% play every day or a few days per week. The most important motivating factors are stated as: “Escape from the limitations of real life” and “educational aspects.”
Radan, one of the boys from the generation born in the 2000s, loves to play computer games. Of course, during the past few months when he has had to study for the university entrance examinations [concours], he has not touched his PolyStation. But he says: “Perhaps you will not believe it but up until a while ago, on some days, I would spend more than 8 hours a day on playing Console and PS4. I would usually play games such as Fifa, Call of Duty and Fortnite online with my friends, and spent a lot of money to purchase the games. I know many people who play games several hours a day and usually play online and even earn an income this way. “
Sahar who is 15 speaks about the interest in computer games among girls. “Among us who were born in the 2000s, it is mostly boys who play computer games. But the girls who are good at computer games and can beat the boys are not few in number. I am not a habitual computer game player but sometimes when I play Rail Box with my cousins, I feel depleted of energy.”
A teacher at one of the top schools of Tehran also believes that in order to attract those born in the 2000s to class and studying, we have to design mental games for them. She says we can see the effects of computer games in the daily behavior and decisions of those born in the 2000s. “In my opinion, an important part of the boldness and risk-taking ability and curiosity of those born in the 2000s comes from these computer games because they are constantly learning to go from one stage to the next and find out what is new in the new stage and what decisions need to be made and how to start anew. In the recent protests, these are the issues that we see in their daily lives and behavior in society.
From a Half Hour of Reading to a 54% Interest in Jam TV
Alongside computer games, what are the other recreational activities of Generation Z? What types of music do they generally listen to and to what extent are they interested in reading books? What do they think about television series and films? The survey of cultural reading done in 2020 can answer these questions to some extent. According to this survey, as of three years ago, those who were then aged 15 to 25 (i.e. born between 1994 and 2004 who form part of Generation Z) say that on working days, they have four hours of free time and on holidays, they have 5 to 6 hours of free time. Those who read 3.9 hours per week (approximately half an hour per day), spend 2.9 hours on watching Iranian television, 2.4 hours on satellite television stations and listen to music two hours per day.
The details of this survey indicate that youth ages 15 to 25 are interested in the following types of reading: 41.7% novels and stories, 15.7% poetry, 13.4% history books, 10.5% religion, 3.6% art and skill building, 6.2% children’s books, 1.9% reference books. Furthermore, among adolescents and youth who watch Iranian television, 42% watch channel 3 and sports (live soccer and other sports games) and 20% watch I Film and Nasim Networks (films and recreational programs). Only .3% watch the Quran reading station. In addition, 54.3% of those youth who participated in this survey said they like to watch the Jam TV Network, 27.1 watch “You and Me”, 7.3% watch BBC, and 11.3% watch PMC [Persian Music Channel]. (Iran International had just started when this survey was conducted.)
Alongside these figures, the rates of watching television series and listening to music are also noteworthy. When adolescents and youth ages 15 to 25 were asked which programs they watch with visual equipment (DVD players, home movie players and ….) the responses indicated the following: 78% feature films and television series; 12.5 music and shows; 1% religious programs; 1.1% cartoons; 1.4% documentaries; 5.6% educational programs. When asked what they listened to with audio devices (MP3 Players, MP4 Players, Blue Tooth Speakers and …) the responses indicated the following: 87% music; 3.2% jokes and recreational programs; 1.5% stories; 8.1% the Quran; 1.3% musical eulogies; 4.9% educational programs; .3% lectures.”
I Have Never Heard the Name Before
Imagine getting stuck in limbo at a place which is a large library. From its shelves, you pick the thickest book with a grey cover which is named The Book of Regrets. This is part of the story of Nora, the main character of the book, The Midnight Library by Matt Haig. Nora is an adolescent for whom reading The Book of Regrets brings back memories. She asks herself what she would like to change in her life in order to have a better life. The story of Nora, her regrets and aspirations, are very similar to those of many girls and boys born in the 2000s in Iran. Perhaps that is why this book is among the bestsellers in Iran. A history teacher at one of the top schools in Tehran says that in her class, many high school girls have read this book and The Humans by Matt Haig which has a psychological dimension. She says: “Most middle school and high school students are not much interested in reading, and if they do pick up a book to read, it is mostly a light psychological novel.” She says: “The main interest and recreation for these kids, especially when adolescents is listening to Korean K-pop and the famous group, BTS. Many middle school and high school girls consider themselves the Army or fans and soldiers of this group and dress like this five-person group who are boys (Hoodies and ….). They have similar haircuts and try to dance like them. It might seem strange but one of the preoccupations of adolescent girls born in the 2000s, like my own fourteen-year old daughter, is what will happen to the band when Jin, one of the bandmembers who will turn 30 in a few months, is conscripted, and who will replace him?” According to this teacher, the most favored music among this generation is rap. Sahar also comments on this: “We most often listen to rap music, especially when we get together or at parties. Groups such as Zad or Wantons have many followers. We listen to the music of famous singers such as Yas, Hichkas, Sorna, Shervin Hajipour, Pouria Putak, Tataloo, Sassy Mannequin. I personally do not really enjoy them. Among foreigners, BTS and Eminem are very popular.” As someone who lives in one of the middle-class areas of Tehran, she says the following about whether she likes to read books: “I read books, and also listen to psychology podcasts and audiobooks. Those of us who were born in the 2000s like art. Many of us like to play instruments and draw but those classes are usually expensive. In school, there no opportunities to lean these skills which are banned. For example, music is banned and no one asks why.” This adolescent girl says some of her friends go to bodybuilding gyms, and she herself likes swimming. In response to a question about how often she watches television series, she says: “Kids who were born in the 2000s are usually more interested in film and television series than studying. Girls mostly prefer love or psychology of love themes. My friends and I really like the series, Euphoria and Sex Education. Of course I don’t know if you can write about that or not (laughter).”
Radan who was also raised in a middle-class family, says the following about his and his friend’ recreational activities: “Someone who was born in the 2000s can easily plan your next three to four months of watching television series. My favorite foreign television series is Peaky Blinders, and my favorite Iranian television series is Shahrzad. My friends like Game of Thrones and 13 Reasons Why.”
He says his taste is different from most of his friends and people of his generation because sometimes he reads books and poetry or listens to traditional Iranian music such as that of Mohammad Reza Shajarian. He continues: “Most of my friends are not interested in reading books. They listen to rap music such as Ali Reza J.J. Their recreation consists of going out to cafes and often smoking Hookah or cigarettes. Of course, I am not in a position to judge other people, and each person’s life is their business. But when your country offers no recreation for adolescents and youths, hookahs become recreation.” He continues his sentence with anger: “Hell, those of us who were born in the 2000s are not even allowed inside many of the famous shopping centers and cafes in town. Security guards at the entrances of shopping centers say that people under age 20 should be accompanied by their family. The same is true at cafes. A few months ago, four of us (two boys and two girls) entered a large sports complex to play billiards but were not allowed. They said playing billiard is forbidden for girls. How is it that they cannot stop the multi-billion toman embezzlements which increase on a daily basis, but they can forbid a young person from playing billiards and entering a shopping center?”
In response to a question about how much he and his friends know about famous Iranian writers and poets, Rada says: “Most of those born in the 2000s, do not know famous writers, poets and others at all. Of course, I do not know of very many and cannot brag about my knowledge. A few months ago, I had gone to a café with a group of seven friends, all of whom were born between the years 2004 and 2006. There were several statues of famous writers and poets next to the cafe. With the exception of myself and another one of the guys, no one knew Hushang Ebtehaj or Sadeq Hedayat.” When asked why few in the generation born in the 2000s know the names of Iran’s important poets and writers even though they are in school textbooks, he says: “Among the generation born in the 2000s, there is strong internal resistance but if you try to forcefeed them anything, they will reject it. They might study something on the night before an exam for the sake of a passing grade but they do not study it with passion and desire. They hate it. If we had a choice about attending classes for the subjects taught in schools nowadays, few of us would show up.” When asked whether he knew the famous contemporary poet, Shafi’i Kadkani, he said “No, I have never heard of him.”
Exaggerated Street Talk and Stories about Being Sissies
If we get away from Tehran and large cities, we will see a difference in the recreational activities of the generation born in the 2000s. Are the kids of this generation who are living in the marginalized areas or smaller cities interested in rap music? Are they even active on the internet and social media networks? Mohammad Hossein lives in the city of Marlik in Karaj. It is an area which is simultaneously considered a marginalized area of Tehran and a marginalized area of Karaj. It is an area which has been relatively calm during the protests of the past several weeks but was one of the hotbeds of unrest in the area around the capital during the November 2019 protests. Mohammad Hossein, a 23-year old university student, says the following about his recreational activities and that of kids from his neighborhood: “I am always either at work or at the university and do not have much time for recreation. But when I do have leisure time, I go to cafes with my friends or play billiards, or we rent a field and play soccer or basketball. But in our neighborhood, the main recreation for boys is to fool around with girls which some call “playing with objects” because they consider [the expression] fooling around with girls to be for sissies. Or they smoke Hookah in groups and with drugs especially marijuana. Some enjoy violent property crimes, stealing or having fights, and they enjoy being called the neighborhood bully. Here they also really enjoy placing bets on soccer games or bet on committing a crime such as grabbing a purse or scratching a car and escaping.
When asked what type of music he listens to most often and whether traditional Iranian music is popular among youth, he laughs and says: “Here, traditional Iranian music has no fans, and among youth, few even listen to Ebi and Dariush. Here people enjoy rap and Zad or the Wantons whose singers are Koorosh, or Behzad Leito and the like.” Mohammad Hossein who sells mobile phones on the internet and social media, and has faced a decline in his income during the past few weeks because of internet cut offs, says the following about the interest in books among kids from the marginalized neighborhoods of Tehran: “For many of the adolescents and youths here, reading books is unfamiliar. I have even seen those who are holding a book, get ridiculed. When I used to go to the library to study, I would see few people there, and if there was anyone there, they were mostly studying for the university entrance exams (concours) like me.
Roshna lives in Zahedan, the capital of the province of Sistan and Baluchestan, which has witnessed some bloody and tumultuous weeks during the past two months. As a civil rights activist, he along with a group of his friends, organize educational workshops for children from marginalized parts of the city. He says the following about the recreational activities of those born in the 2000s in Zahedan: “The adolescents and youths here should be divided into two groups. One group lives in Zahedan itself and has recreational activities that are almost identical to kids in Tehran and other large cities. For example, a friend showed me a film from his childhood which showed him playing an instrument. He had placed his film on his Instagram page. Many adolescents and youths from Zahedan are active on social media and have access to a variety of computer games. They go to cafes, smoke cigarettes and hookah and other things. But the kids in the marginalized neighborhoods of Zahedan, such as Shirabad have a very different story. Even though the distance from Shirabad to the best parts of the city of Zahedan, i.e. University Avenue is no more than 20 minutes, these are two entirely different worlds. The kids from Shirabad have no recreation but working. Most boys don’t even have birth certificates. They work in auto repair shops as workers or carry fuel on their backs. Girls do needlework from a young age.” According to him, among Baluch adolescents in the marginalized parts of Zahedan, many do not even have access to mobile phones. Playing with marbles is very popular among them. The main weekend recreation for young boys is car racing or motorcycle racing on Kalaneh Road. When asked about the recreational activities of girls in marginalized parts of the city, he pauses a bit and says: “Here among adolescents and youth, music and Indian and Baluch rap dancing are number one.”
Once Upon a Time
In addition to writers, poets and cultural figures, it seems that part of the generation born in the 2000s does not know much about politicians, political activists and historical figures of the past few decades either. One of the young members of a reformist party recounted that a while ago, he had been standing in front of the office of the Baran Foundation. awaiting the arrival of Seyyed Muhammad Khatami, president of the reform period. At the time of the arrival of Khatami’s car and his entourage, two adolescent skaters had passed by. “One of the adolescents who was surprised by the number of cars and the large entourage, had said to his friend: This clergyman must be very important to have so many people and so many guards accompanying him.” When hearing these comments, one of Khatami’s followers laughed and said this shows that the reforms need to be revised.”
Yeganeh, a twenty-five year old youth who says she had participated in the protests in Tehran, says the following in response to a question about how much she knows political figures and how much she has read about the history of political developments in Iran. She says: “I do not know the political figures at all. Of course I know that Khatami, Hashemi Rafsanjani and Ahmadinejad were presidents or that Mir Hossein Mousavi is under house arrest, and for example the events that took place in the years 1999 and 2009. But I do not know particular details such as which political activists are in prison and do not know very many political people. No, not at all. Of course, I do not think that is even necessary. My mind is not Wikipedia. My generation is not following any particular person and does not idolize anyone. It is not the blind follower of any particular person. I am my own voice and my friend is her own voice. I think the structure of the desired society can be like Bitcoin and its philosophy. Bitcoin is money without foundation. It gains its validity through being confirmed by many. The structure of society can also be a common agreement that is shaped by likes by all. In effect, it is everyone’s voice.”
Muhammad Hossein, the student from Marlik also says the following in response to the question about how much he is familiar with public figures. “After the latest protests, I read various sites and know the names of some people, but this does not mean that I have political knowledge or know figures or parties well. I follow the news mostly through BBC or Iran International on my mobile phone, and mostly know those who are invited by these networks.”
How much is happiness per pound?
The “future” is perhaps the main keyword that preoccupies millions of Iranians these days. A teacher at one of the top schools in the country says the main question posed by her students is the following: “Madame, what do you think will happen in the future? What will be the state of this country?” The first of the generation born in the 2000s were born when the music album of the year was singer Mohammad-Reza Shajarian’s “Winter” with music by Alizadeh and Kayhan Kalhor. The film of the year was “Killing Mad Dogs” by Bahram Beyzai. In the year 2001, an age of darkness began with the attack by Al Qaeda on the Twin Towers in New York, and the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. But in Iran, people renewed reliance on reformism. The 21 million votes casted for Seyyed Mohammad Khatami as president showed that hope was still alive. The first children born in the 2000s were born when the minimum wage was $70 per month and the average price per meter of housing in Tehran was $330 and each dollar was exchanged for 800 Tomans. That was the year when the Urmia Lake was still full of water and Flamingos used to migrate there. No person in Khuzestan coughed up dust.
A decade later, the last children of this generation came into this world in the year 2011. It was eight years after the nuclear negotiations had started. The Arab world was celebrating its Spring in Tahrir Square but Iran was going through an Autumn. The fallout of the 2009 protests, the beginning of house arrest for the leaders of the Green Movement, the passage of Resolution 1929 in the U.N. Security Council, against Iran’s nuclear program, were all events of this year. This was a period when the president of Iran [Ahmadinejad] called his opponents, “dirt.” In 2011, a dollar exchanged for 1150 Tomans, and the median price of [a square meter of] housing was 3 million tomans. With the start of the Plan for Targeted Monetary Subsidies, people could fill up their gas tanks with petroleum that cost 700 Tomans [per liter]. For the first time, they received a deposit of 41,500 Tomans in cash in their credit card accounts.
But now, two decades have passed since the first children of the generation born in the 2000s came into this world. They are now 20 to 21 years old. A decade has passed since the last children of this generation were born. They are now 10 to 11 years old. But what the children of this generation, in their adolescence and youth experience daily is that after approximately 20 years, the nuclear negotiations remain suspended. The value of the dollar which was 800 Tomans in 2001 has reached over 36000 Tomans (45 fold increase). The median price of a square meter of housing in Tehran is 42 million tomans (14 fold increase) and the median rate of economic growth in the past ten years has been almost zero. Even if the rate of economic growth increases to 8% per year in the next decade, our economic situation will at best return to what it was in 2012. Today, the Siberian Crane (Hope) only migrates to Iran. Lake Urmia is taking its last gasps and according to the prediction of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the U.N., over the next few years, 70% of the country will no long be arable.
Furthermore, the unemployment rate for Generation Z and those born in the 2000s is disheartening. This Spring, according to a report by the Statistics Center, the overall unemployment rate had reached 9.2%, and the unemployment rate among youth ages 15 to 24 had reached 24%. In other words, out of every four youth searching for a job, approximately one has not been able to find one. Under these circumstances, the labor market is worse for women, and the unemployment rate among women is twice that of men.
Baran who is sixteen, says: “It seems to me that 100% of those born in the 2000s, like myself, do not see a future for themselves here, and many of them are thinking about migrating. All of my friends attend language classes and are learning German, French, English or even Turkish and Korean in order to be able to get admitted to an academic institution abroad after getting their high school or university diploma and leave Iran.
According to international statistics, among 152 countries, Iran ranks 87 on migration and 77 on youth migration. Among 200 countries, Iran ranks 19 on the export of university students. The Iran Migration Observatory has announced that the first five destinations of Iranian migrants are in this order: United Arab Emirates, U.S.A., Germany, Turkey, England.
Mohammad emigrated to Frankfurt, Germany five months ago and now works in a start-up company. He says: “Considering that in the past two years, the internet has been cut off twice (in November 2019 and September of 2022) and many start-up companies and internet businesses have been closed and suffered, why shouldn’t we leave Iran? When I was getting ready to migrate, a friend helped me joined a channel on Telegram that had 2000 members who were getting ready to migrate to Germany and would offer advice and speak of their experiences.“
Mohammad Hossein, the resident of Marlik also says, “the migration fever” has reached the marginalized areas as well. “Most of the youth here have no hope in the future. Most of the people that I know here in Marlik, Malard, Shahryar, Sar Asiyab and . . .. do not wish to stay here. A few years ago when Germany had opened it borders to migrants for a while, some guys from Marlik went there with the help of smugglers. For instance, there was a young guy who was one of the famous hooligans here, whom we called Dark Hashem. He was into fighting and using drugs and . . . Even he went to Germany, and now some who are in touch with him say that he is doing well.” Mohammad says: “I know some people like my own sister and her husband who sold whatever they had, and paid smugglers to cross the border somehow and reach Germany. But they lost their money and have remained here even more depressed.”
According to the generation born in the 2000s, migration and hopelessness about the future is the dominant “mood” of an important part of society. However, many youth still want to live in Iran and are not thinking about migration or are not certain about it. Yeganeh, a graduate of Shahid Beheshti University is one of them. She says: “A year ago, I might have thought seriously about migrating, but now I have closed that file in my mind and have hope about Iran’s future.” She says: “Migration is not simple. In addition to requiring money, it involves other troubles. I can see that some of my friends who left now have their own problems, and they too complain.”
A Good Day Will Come
“I want to be myself in life.” She pauses and says: “Why shouldn’t I be myself? Why is there such a difference between life in Iran and other places around the world?” Baran, a girl in tenth grade says the following in response to a question about her preoccupations and demands: “My wish and that of many in my generation is simply to live, I mean, to lift the limitations that bother us. The most basic wish is to have recreational activities. Like many teenagers in other countries who can go out and are comfortable in their relationships, we too want to have our freedoms and not constantly be accountable to someone. Why do they always try to control our thought? I want to have the kind of life that I desire.” This is her definition of a desirable life: “Knowing that in the future, I can reach what I want, with a happy spirit and healthy body. That means being yourself in life. Why should having a normal life be a dream? What we live here is not a normal life. Why is there so much stress about everything? Why can no one plan for their future?
Mohammad Hossein also considers economic problems one of his main preoccupations. He says: “The dream of many youth from marginalized areas like myself is to have a good job with high security and to know that when we strive for something, we will reach it. Not nepotism but laws. The least that any youth demands is to be able to get married, have a small house and not worry on a daily basis about how to pay for living expenses. Why should getting married be a dream for many like me? I know many families in our neighborhood who are not able to pay for daily expenses. They have not had meat for months. So why should things be like this?”
He says: “Most youth and families in Marlik, Malard, and similar areas feel that they have been abandoned. Their rights have been taken away from them. They always say, why should someone have a billion-dollar car when we do not even have a motorcycle or Kia Pride [subcompact car]? Why is it that someone can roam freely around town and be showered with money when none of that is the case for us? I think that is why so many banks were set on fire and markets looted in our area after the price of petroleum was raised.”
He also says: “In addition to economic demands, I want people to be free. I have three sisters. One of them always wears a headscarf. The other two like to dress comfortably. My wish is that one day my three sisters would be able to walk freely together on the street and without being harassed by anyone.”
Yeganeh who has short brown hair and is not wearing a scarf, also talks about her aspirations and preoccupations: “I want my country to have extensive international relations, with people in charge who do not have any prejudices, and with everyone respecting each other’s views. My wish is to wear what I like and walk with my friends from Vali Asr Square to Tajrish. I want to buy international brands and not have to dream about buying a pair of Nike shoes from the Nike Store in Tehran. I don’t want to have to buy from Turkish online shops. It makes me angry that my money goes to the Turkish government.”
Yeganeh lights up a cigarette and turns on the car’s music player. You hear “The Spring Has Come” by Shervin Hajipour who was born in 1998 and is a member of Generation Z. Most know him for his song, “Barayeh” [For the Sake Of]. “I see those days when all the hip hop guys/ are having concerts on the stage at Milad [tower in Tehran]/It might seem unbelievable but I know/This story will end well and that day will come.”
