“Being PC has become lame”

Attitudes among Swedish youth are changing rapidly, with fewer young people identifying with ‘politically correct’ labels such as ‘anti-racism’ and ‘feminism’. Interest in ‘climate issues’ has also declined, as has interest in politics in general.

– A lot of people think that being PC (politically correct) has become lame, a high school student told Bonnier newspaper DN.

The Youth Barometer is Sweden’s largest annual survey, based on responses from 15,000 young people on everything from hobbies to politics.

The latest report, conducted last fall among young people aged 15 to 24, shows a clear decline in interest in politics in general, with friends, family and personal finances becoming more important. The percentage of young people interested in public policy has dropped from 50 percent in 2018 to 38 percent in 2023.

– It is important to remember that this shows a current picture of young people in Sweden. We live in a troubled world, which means that the focus for many young people is closer to themselves. The big social issues have to wait, and instead young people get involved in things that create security and secure the present. This may mean prioritizing their personal finances, education, career or friends, says Ulrik Hoffman, CEO of the analysis company Ungdomsbarometern, in a press release.

The importance of the environment as a social issue has dropped from 55% to 34% over the past two years. The number of young people who consider themselves ‘anti-racist’ has halved from 32% in 2020 to 17% in 2023, and those who consider themselves ‘feminist’ has dropped from 30% to 23% over the same period. About a fifth of young men disagree with the statement “Democracy is always the best system”.

– Many people think that being PC (politically correct) has become lame. Now you hear more racist and anti-feminist jokes than before, Tuva Grahnström, a student at Kungsholmen West High School in Stockholm, told Bonnier newspaper DN.