Riani Kenyon is a caffeinated Zillennial who is hopelessly addicted to The Sims 4 and binge-watches her latest anime obsession when she’s not busy bopping to early 2000’s K-pop. Beyond being a nerd, she has worked on initiatives for the UN Academic Impact and the UK Model WHO, and also explored politics while interning at the House of Commons.


Byegender

In the face of economic crises, climate anxieties, and global wars, people are seeking solace through connection. They want to be sure someone will hold their hand in the face of hardship. As a result, they have higher expectations of care and understanding from interactions with brands, social systems, and people. Many no longer see emotional intelligence as a pleasant add-on – it has become a default expectation.

If Pantone's colour of the year for 2024 is anything to go by – Peach Fuzz, a hue that 'echoes our innate yearning for closeness and connection' – it's that community and understanding are increasingly valued as a bedrock of resilience in building a more empathetic and interconnected society. As the loneliness pandemic spreads across the globe, people are prioritising companionship. What's more, they aren't afraid to turn to technology to fill the void, engaging with AI chatbots for emotional gratification as much as practical services. AI promises the rise of artificial empathy and an overhaul of care structures, including elderly care and parenting – and people are ready to embrace it to mitigate the ongoing crisis.

As social media has simultaneously boosted emotional honesty and knocked self-esteem, mental health issues are on the rise and support systems need reinforcement. More than 70% of Americans feel failed by the healthcare system, and in the UK, the NHS waitlist rose to a record 7.75 million in late 2023. With countries like the UK and France raising retirement ages, the demand for long-term care has increased, prompting people to seek alternative solutions – from telemedicine to community-based care programs – to address the pressing care crisis. The very notion of care is in flux. In this context, people are turning to brands and public figures for a helping hand, from BetterHelp and Gymshark offering free care to those that need it to Megan thee Stallion and Olivia Rodrigo using their platforms to democratise access to care for marginalised communities.

Everyday Empathy

Gen Z (born 1997-2010)

United Kingdom

Home and Relationships

YouGov

Origym

Dove

Movember

Statista

Amid looksmaxxing trends, young men are grappling both with the online narratives of toxic masculinity and the gendered cultural and economic expectations projected by society. Canvas8 spoke to British Gen Z men to find out what masculinity means to them and how they like to express it