German youth express growing concerns and a sense of impotence.
In a recent study, it was found that young people are becoming more concerned about pressing issues like climate change and racism. However, they also feel powerless to bring about change and don't trust politics to find solutions. This information was presented during the Sinus Youth Study 2024 held in Berlin on Wednesday, conducted by the Federal Center for Political Education. Despite these concerns, 84% of teenagers aged between 14 and 17 years old reported being either satisfied or very satisfied with their daily lives.
Marc Calmbach, the study's author, considered this the most surprising discovery: "In the midst of many crises, young people are retaining their optimism about dealing with them." Thomas Krüger, the President of the Federal Center for Political Education, added, "The generation generally being talked about has only ever experienced crises. This doesn't lead to pessimism but rather a 'conditioned optimism.' They think that things will work out somehow."
The Sinus Study has been in existence since 2008, taking a different approach to research. Instead of relying on mass surveys, the study involved in-depth interviews with only 72 young individuals between 14 and 17 years old from various school forms and backgrounds, conducted at their homes for several hours. Calmbach explained the value of this method, "The small sample size is actually the charm and the quality of this study because it allows for such deep insights." These insights are significant for the 3.1 million young people in the relevant age group.
