It is easy to despair of young people as self-absorbed, isolated from reality and unwilling to take on the hard tasks that previous generations had to face. I have done it myself, and I suspect humans have been doing it since Adam and Eve worried that Cain seemed to lack dedication and work ethic. It is particularly tempting when we look at the armed forces: serving your country is physically and mentally demanding, inherently dangerous and inadequately rewarded. Why would Generation Z, which is so insular and fragile, be induced to join up?
Selling a career in defence as an escape from unemployment is hardly reaching for the stars
We may have underestimated young people. A poll organised by Boston Consulting Group (BCG) has revealed that nearly half of the 18- to 24-year-olds surveyed wanted better opportunities for recruitment into the armed forces and the defence sector during their education, a fifth saw defence as a strong and meaningful career and half regarded it as a good career, albeit one with potentially challenging ethical elements.
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