Why Young Writers Are So Important - 10/22

Whether it’s Twitter memes, fanfiction, activism, or an analysis of a new movie, young writers play a vital role in our constantly changing culture.

In general, young people act as indicators for everything that’s wrong in our society. If there’s an ongoing political issue, and children express their concern, then that means it’s a big problem. Children evoke a sense of sympathy and empathy like no other group. It’s said that children are the most oppressed group in the world because they have no way to fight back from abuse. That’s why, when we allow young people to create pieces of media expressing their opinions or interest in a topic, it automatically comes with this level of importance and urgency that we should take time to understand.

Take the movie Backrooms, for example. When it first arrived in theaters this summer, it shot up to the #1 grossing film in the US box office. The thriller movie was trailblazing in young audiences, particularly because it introduced a fresh style of horror. Without relying on the tawdry jumpscares or mundane ghost stories, this 20-year-old managed to convey a sense of psychological dread that rattled us far after we left the theater. Kane Parson, born in 2005, was only 20 years old when he directed Backrooms. A risky choice by A24 turned out to be their biggest success, because who knows what appeals to young audiences better than young people themselves?

So, yes. Gen-Z writers are funny, opinionated, unique... but they’re just as equally driven, and they might be the key in reviving cultural practices that were once just humdrum to our ears.