A Socratic Dialogue for the Next 25 Years

Confession time: I’m notGen Z and I strugglewith understanding theirbehaviour, especially asthey now constitute the bulk ofour agency’s creative fire power.

When I joined the agencyworld as a naive Millennial, I’msure people thought the sameway about our generation.Since most top-tier agenciesin Pakistan have been aroundfor a couple of decades, theirmanagement structure nowis usually consolidated in thehands of a few Gen X individuals(referred to as Boomers, buttechnically aren’t). I feel forthem. They probably ‘get’ GenZ even less than I do. So I setout on a thought experiment todecode and explain this newdemographic’s philosophy assomething much more palatable;a Socratic dialogue.

Plato is an early 50sChief Something Officer at arenowned agency in Pakistan.Socrates is a 21-year-old risingstar of the agency’s creativedepartment. Here’s how theconversation goes:

Plato: Ah, Socrates! Thereyou are, always engrossed inthat scroll of yours. In my days,knowledge was sought throughdiscourse, not devices.

Socrates: It’s all about the vibe,Plato. This ‘scroll’ connects me tothe world. But discourse? Alwaysup for it. That’s on-brand for me too.

Plato: ‘Vibe’? Your generationsurely has an eccentric wayof expressing yourselves.Back in my prime, our agencyoperated on discipline andhierarchy. Structure was thebedrock of creativity.

Socrates: Structure? Soundskinda sus. Today, we valuefluidity and collaboration.Hierarchy feels… restricting, youknow? Like, why put creativity ina box?

Plato: But without clearboundaries, do you not losedirection? Our methods birthedsome of the most iconiccampaigns of our time.

Socrates: Totally get that,Plato. I too, wish that campaigncreation was as easy as slappingon a goofy jingle and muscling itwith enough media to etch it intopeople’s brains. But times havechanged. Today, it’s all aboutauthentic narratives and viralmomentum. It’s gotta be organic.

Plato: Organic? The essence ofcommunication lies in craftingmessages meticulously. Yourspontaneous approach might berelatable but lacks depth. In mydays, we had this thing calledthe ‘Rhythm of Unity’ campaignfor Morven Gold and…

Socrates: Ugh. Again withthe Rhythm of… Plato, if youreference that stupid songand-dance stunt one more timeI’m going to pack up my ‘scroll’and bounce. It’s all about beingreal and relatable, bro. Depth is important, no cap, but Gen Zfinds depth in authenticity. It’s notabout how intricate the messageis, but how genuine.

Plato: Ha! Intricate? As ifslapping a Young Stunners raponto any neon-lit environment isthe zenith of advertising genius.That is all it takes to impress youlot! I find it hard to believe thatshort-lived, fleeting messages onthese ‘social scrolls’ can have alasting impact anyway.

Socrates: Don’t be hatin’, oldman. You gotta understand; it’sthe power of the moment. Welive for the now. Our messagesresonate because they’re in themoment, unfiltered.

Plato: But in your constant pursuitof ‘now’, you lose the legacy ofour advertising industry.

Socrates: By legacy you meanboozing clients, slipping in ‘gifts’as part of deals and struttingoff to Bangkok on the pretextof ‘better post’? You’re out ofsync, man. We remix the pastto fit today’s narrative. Legacy isthe playlist, and we just lay ourown beat to it. That’s the agencyculture you want!

Plato: Agency culture, you say?I fear there’s none left. All I seeare disinterested young folkstuck to their tiny little screensall day. Some of my copywritersdon’t even open their laptops thewhole day. Just squirrelling awayon their screens.

Socrates: Big mood, Plato. Thisisn’t just a gadget – it’s life. I canideate, pitch and close deals, allfrom this little powerhouse. We’rethe main character… and this isour drip.

Plato: Whatever that means. Butthe sanctity of work? It looks likemere child’s play to an outsider.

Socrates: I get the optics mightseem sus, but trust me, it’s alllegit work. This is our hustle. It’s like… why be anchored to adesk when the world’s at yourfingertips?

Plato: Speaking of hustle, Inotice that many of your peersflit from job to job. Where’s thededication to one’s craft, thecommitment to an employer ora team? In my time, one stayedwith an agency for decades,building relationships, loyalty.

Socrates: No cap, Plato, it’s notabout being flighty. It’s strategic.We’re not about that life wherewe’re tied down forever. We don’tfeel beholden to a single job orboss. Why sell your soul to onegig when there’s a whole buffetout there? Plus, some of us areside-hustling on platforms likeUpwork and Fiverr, making bank!You know I earn twice as muchas you, right?

Plato: But isn’t that a lackof commitment? Workingmultiple jobs?

Socrates: Not at all. It’sleveraging opportunities. Weprioritise skills and adaptabilityover long-term tenure. It’s moreabout experiences than a fixedpath. Also, sure – can you payme the same hourly rate as myUS freelance clients do?

Plato: Per hour rate?! It’s thiscasual attitude that I can’tfathom. Gig economy, bah!What you need to be doingis building a proper career.Back in the day, we took thatvery seriously. Even a jobinterview was a rite of passage.Now, it’s as if it’s just anotherappointment, easily skipped.

Socrates: Oh, big yikes. It’s notthat deep, Plato. If the vibe’s off,why force it? We’re not thirstyfor just any gig. It’s not aboutloyalty to companies, but loyaltyto ourselves.

Plato: My young friend, thisis troublesome. In my days, we revered the grind, facedchallenges head-on. I hearyour generation talking aboutmental health and being “out ofspoons.” Work is supposed tobe challenging!

Socrates: I’m not yourfriend, bro. Mental healthis paramount for us. Weacknowledge our limits. Manyof us consult therapists tonavigate life’s challenges.We prioritise well-being overperpetual grind.

Plato: Therapy sherapy! Werevered our seniors, learnedfrom them.

Socrates: Maybe you’re right,but if said ‘seniors’ can’t evenfathom the fact that overlypolished high-production-valuemicromanaged brand videoswon’t fly on TikTok, it leavesus no choice but to questiontheir wisdom! Here’s the tea:We’re all about flattening thepyramid. Titles? They’re justlabels. We want a space that’slow-key, where ideas flow freely.Toxicity? Thank you, next.

Plato: It’s a brave new world youpaint, Socrates.

Socrates: It’s all love, Plato.We respect the OGs. But timeschange, and we gotta adapt.

Plato: Looks like the tableshave turned! Now tell me, howdo I embody – like you kids say – the vibe?

Socrates: For starters, you canstop pretending to be a Gen Zand writing articles to capturetheir essence by overdoing whatyou think are “Gen Z terms”picked up from a random articleon the internet. You got half thereferences wrong and it feelspretty sad. Remember that bitabout authenticity?

Plato: Uhhhhhh.

Umair Kazi is Partner, Ishtehari.