Society has always been at the mercy of current trends. Influencing fashion, slang, or behaviour, it is no secret that social trends have a huge impact on our daily lives. Recently, I have noticed a dramatic rise in apathy; today’s most popular trend is nonchalance. Nothing seems to be more embarrassing than the humanness of being earnest.
What is nonchalance?
What does it mean to be nonchalant? According to Merriam-Webster, to be nonchalant is to have an air of easy unconcern or indifference. Nonchalance is the act of not feeling. Over 160,000 posts on TikTok use the hashtag #nonchalant. Why is indifference trending, and what does this mean for Gen Z?
What Makes Nonchalance So Appealing?
Gen Z has grown up under the spotlight of social media. Privacy no longer exists: you can screenshot any message, post at any moment, and mock anyone publicly. Appearing nonchalant acts as a form of armour. Detachment is a shield against ridicule; it is more comfortable to feign apathy than to care deeply and fail. Rather than trying hard in school, Gen Z pretends not to care, evading being labelled as a “try hard”. Instead of settling into committed relationships, this generation prefers the low-maintenance and detached “situationship.” University and College students frequently use AI for their assignments, rather than attempting the work themselves. In the mind of Gen Z, no line seems too far to cross via the quest for a nonchalant image.
The Result?
Gen Z is labelled as the “loneliest generation”, due to their lack of emotional attachment. Nonchalance breeds emptiness; to be human is to feel and care intensely. By denying one of our most important traits—our feelings—Gen Z is becoming significantly more disconnected from society. Effort is not a flaw, but a strength. A generation without passion is a generation without growth. Often, Gen Z students hide behind a phone screen instead of interacting with classmates and the world around them. Rather than try, it is simpler to appear uncaring and cool. The emptiness of nonchalance is stealing the joy from everyday life; the current trend of being nonchalant makes the world around us seem emptier and emptier every day.
Final Thoughts
I’ve tried to adopt the mindset of being myself no matter what. In an uncaring world, I strive to feel boldly, be different, and not care how others perceive me. I would much rather live for and be judged as myself than live a vacant life for the approval of others. This article is a call to action; gallantly choose to feel in a nonchalant world.
References
Hinckley, Tomas. “Stop Being Nonchalant.” The Daily Campus, September 27, 2024. https://dailycampus.com/2024/09/27/stop-being-nonchalant/.
Solorza, Fernanda. “We Need to Be More Chalant.” Martlet, April 17, 2025. https://martlet.ca/we-need-to-be-more-chalant/.