08/05/2026
Check out the Lauan University Center's UNIV paper submission. Link to the file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JSTIWyluxQN_rzmNTPtlvM31hCnsx3x1/view?usp=drivesdk
ABSTRACT: Despite being the largest and most socially aware cohort in history, Gen Z
increasingly hesitates to engage in open, face-to-face discourse. This paper explores how a
screenvironment - an original term proposed in this paper to mean a setting prioritizing digitally
mediated interaction - has fostered psychological risk aversion and a preference for digital
anonymity. Socially, this manifests as a “spiral of silence,” in which fear of “cancel culture” and
peer judgment lead to self-censorship. Meanwhile, algorithmic “filter bubbles” create ideological
silos that deepen polarization and “social inertia.” Ironically, these tools of constant connectivity
often result in an “alone together” paradox characterized by declining emotional intimacy and a
"loneliness crisis". To address this, the paper proposes a framework combining Aristotelian
Virtue Ethics and Wojtyła’s Personalism. By cultivating intellectual prudence, practicing media
literacy, and engaging in structured face-to-face encounters, Gen Z can subvert algorithmic
agency and rediscover dialogue as a sovereign venue for a meaningful gift of self.
