Postmodern Youth and the New Leisure Culture

This article examines new leisure practices among contemporary youth in the Global North, with particular attention to Generation Alpha, born in the 21st century. It argues for a radical rethinking of how researchers conceptualize leisure, as the traditional contrast between work or school duties and relaxation no longer applies. Today’s young people, inseparable from their smartphones, are adapting to a digitalized world where the absence of work may become as significant a problem as excessive free time. Postmodern tendencies already blur the boundary between obligation and leisure, challenging the long-standing norm of “duty before pleasure.” Of special research interest are digital creators – no longer a narrow elite of artists or professionals, but vast communities of online users continuously producing images, videos, music, and texts.