# It’s Okay: Bridging the Divide Through Our Own ‘Right’ | Zoha Waqas | TEDxISL Pine Youth

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_6VU97WTdc
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/0_6VU97WTdc
Generated: 2025-12-02T17:11:30.185+00:00

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## Quick Overview

Zoha Waqas argues that bridging the generational divide requires moving beyond the notion that things will eventually become "okay" and instead actively acknowledging and creating space for different generational experiences and definitions of what is right, emphasizing that every generation's struggle and success are valid.

**Key Points:**
- The speaker, Zoha Waqas, realized that the constant reassurance, "sab theek ho jayega" (everything will be alright), was not directly addressing the hardest questions about the future.
- She notes that 70% of Gen Z feels frustrated with the older generation because they feel unheard, leading to a cycle where each generation retreats to their own definition of 'right'.
- Zoha shares her personal pivot from wanting to be a doctor (a path loved by those around her) to pursuing technology (AI, blockchain, business) because she enjoyed it, despite external skepticism.
- She emphasizes the need to create margins of patience, understanding, and space between generations to prevent the cycle of misunderstanding from repeating.
- The speaker advocates for acknowledging that every generation has its own journey and struggles, urging listeners to honor and recognize these differences rather than dismissing them.
- Her key message is that understanding and acknowledging these generational differences is crucial for creating the necessary bridge between generations.

![Screenshot at 00:25: Zoha Waqas gestures while explaining that the background music or societal narrative we carry through life, often implying 'it will be okay,' does not address the hardest questions about the future.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/0_6VU97WTdc/00-00-25.png)

**Context:** This TEDx talk, delivered by Zoha Waqas, a Digital Innovator, at TEDxYouth@ISLahore, addresses the tension and misunderstanding inherent in the generational divide, specifically concerning tradition versus modern progress. Waqas reflects on societal pressures, particularly the expectation to follow traditional career paths like medicine, and how she navigated her own path into technology while confronting the feeling of being unheard by older generations.

## Detailed Analysis

Zoha Waqas begins by recounting how the common reassurance, "sab theek ho jayega" (everything will be alright), failed to address her deepest anxieties, especially when she was considering career paths outside the traditional expectations of her peers (like becoming a doctor). She reveals that when she chose technology fields like AI, blockchain, and business for social good, people around her expressed skepticism, suggesting her path was either a scam or too risky. She cites research indicating that 70% of Gen Z feels frustrated with older generations because they feel unheard. Waqas argues that the core issue lies in each generation retreating to their own definition of what is 'right' and not acknowledging the validity of the other's struggles. She recounts her own experience of choosing a path she enjoyed (tech) despite external doubt and eventually succeeding by graduating with high distinctions in those fields. The solution she proposes is to actively create bridges between generations by establishing margins of patience, understanding, and space. Acknowledging the unique struggles and definitions of 'right' held by each generation is vital to stop the cycle of misunderstanding from repeating itself.

### Personal Dilemma

- The constant reassurance of 'sab theek ho jayega'
- Realizing this platitude did not address hard questions about the future
- Choosing technology (AI, blockchain) over expected paths like medicine despite initial skepticism.

### The Generational Frustration

- Research shows 70% of Gen Z feels frustrated by older generations who feel unheard
- Each generation clings to its own definition of 'right'
- This leads to an unacknowledged generational gap.

### The Path Forward

- Creating margins of patience and understanding between generations
- Acknowledging that each generation has its own journey and struggles
- Building a bridge between different perspectives is essential for progress.

![Screenshot at 00:17: Zoha Waqas pauses while discussing the common reassurance given to her youth: 'O levels kar lo, phir sab theek ho jayega' \(Complete O-levels, then everything will be alright\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/0_6VU97WTdc/00-00-17.png)
![Screenshot at 00:36: Zoha Waqas discusses how rarely anyone admits that the narratives carried through life might not be entirely 'right' or applicable to the future.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/0_6VU97WTdc/00-00-36.png)
![Screenshot at 01:32: Zoha Waqas questions why people keep focusing on the idea that things will eventually be 'okay' instead of addressing the present reality.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/0_6VU97WTdc/00-01-32.png)
![Screenshot at 02:05: The full stage setup showing Zoha Waqas on the red circle with the title slide reading: 'THE GENERATIONAL DIVIDE: Tradition Unwoven'.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/0_6VU97WTdc/00-02-05.png)
![Screenshot at 04:48: Zoha Waqas describes how her pursuit of tech was often dismissed as a 'Satanic technology' or a WhatsApp message telling parents to save their children from it.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/0_6VU97WTdc/00-04-48.png)