32 unread messages. Zain put down the phone, frustrated. How would he get through the next few days? Looking for answers, or distraction, he picked up the phone and started watching videos. One video caught Zain’s eye. A remarkable individual, talking about something religious or spiritual. He couldn’t quite make it out, but he was interested and found something impressive, maybe admirable, about the person. So, Zain continued watching and was hooked. He started off with a few reels, but there was something magnetic in the speaker, and he found himself watching long videos. It had been a while since something caught his attention like this: he was used to scrolling through so many 1-minute videos that sitting down with just the one clip felt odd at first.
Zain knew it was because of the speaker: he spoke calmly, with gravity, authority, but most of all, with kindness. He felt seen, though he was the one doing the seeing. But he felt he was being understood, he felt answered and responded to. The connection he felt with the speaker was unlike his other influencer following: this seemed so much more real, empathetic. And after so many years, Zain felt a part of himself relax – the constriction inside him seemed to melt away.
This story was submitted as part of the King’s Study Phase of the Gen Z Role Models Project. Added April 2026.
“and was hooked” (S189) © 2026 by The Gen Z Role Models Project is licensed under CC BY 4.0
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