Kids are Angry Today: Why?

Why Are So Many Young People Angry Today?

You don’t have to look far to see it. Scroll through social media, watch the news, or just talk to a few teenagers or twenty-somethings, and you’ll pick up on a lot of frustration — and sometimes outright anger. But this isn’t just “kids being kids.” Something deeper is going on.

Many young people are growing up in a world that feels unstable, unfair, and overwhelming. They’ve been told all their lives that if they work hard, they’ll succeed. Yet the cost of living, housing, and education keeps climbing while wages stay flat. Even with degrees, many struggle to find decent-paying jobs. That gap between what they were promised and what they’re experiencing fuels a lot of disappointment and resentment.

On top of that, they are plugged into a constant stream of bad news. Through social media and the 24-hour news cycle, they see every tragedy, injustice, and disaster — often in real time. It’s exhausting. And it makes them feel powerless to change things.

Many also feel unheard. Older generations sometimes dismiss their concerns as complaining instead of really listening. When you feel ignored, it’s easy for frustration to harden into anger. Add to that the steady decline in trust for government, media, and other institutions, and it’s no wonder so many young people feel like the system is rigged.

Social media adds another layer. Young people are constantly comparing themselves to others’ “perfect” lives online, which creates pressure, self-doubt, and a sense of falling behind. For some, personal and community struggles — from unstable homes to unsafe neighborhoods — only deepen the feeling that life is stacked against them.

Anger is often a mask for something deeper: hurt, fear, and disappointment. And when there’s no safe space to talk about it, no supportive community to lean on, and no trust in leaders to fix things, that anger grows.

If we want to help, we need to listen — really listen — without judgment. We need to give young people opportunities, tools, and reasons to believe in a better future. Because behind that anger is a generation that wants change, and they’re just waiting for someone to take them seriously.

To Inspire, Inform, Encourage, and Empower!!

Marvin Dixon/Founder

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