One of the most interesting things about members of Generation Alpha, said Theo Greene, is that while technology is so deeply embedded into their lives, many of them are also pushing back by disconnecting from the digital world.
They are picking up physical toys or going outside to play with friends, he said, “because they're trying to fight this sense of isolation that comes from the fact that technology has become such a pervasive element of their lived experience at a very young age.”
Greene, who is associate professor of sociology and chair of Bowdoin’s sociology department, was among the guests on a recent edition of the statewide public radio call-in show Maine Calling, as it explored the topic of Generation Alpha—the first demographic wave of the twenty-first century.
These are the children and teens born between 2010 and 2024. They have never known a world without smart phones, tablets, or streaming services, and their upbringing has largely been shaped by the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of artificial intelligence.
The show, which aired on June 2, 2026, is part of Maine Public’s series “Life Passages” about aging and life stages.
As the children of the millennials, said Greene, Gen Alpha has grown up immersed in a fast-changing environment and has had to learn how to adapt.
“I think this is going to be a very resilient generation that will deal with everything that is thrown at them,” he stressed. “They’re bold, they do have a social justice orientation, [and] I actually have a very sort of hopeful vision of Generation Alpha.”
